An Enlightening Encounter
by theoofoof
Summary: Set post 5x05. Jo takes a holiday to Cyprus to visit her cousin. Whilst there she makes some enlightening discoveries. Eventual Harry/Ruth.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **An Enlightening Encounter  
><strong>Fandom: <strong>Spooks  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T  
><strong>Genre:<strong> Friendship/Romance **  
>Warnings:<strong> None  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Jo Portman, Ruth Evershed, Harry Pearce

**Summary:** Set post 5x05. Jo takes a holiday to Cyprus to visit her cousin. Whilst she is there she makes some enlightening discoveries. Eventual H/R

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Spooks or any of the characters you may recognise. They all belong to Kudos/BBC. Sophia is my creation though. :)

**A/N 1: **I'm probably taking a couple of liberties here; mainly that Ruth left Britain in March 2006 (based on the fact that it looked quite cold in that dockside scene!). Any others will become clear as the story progresses. Basically this is AU from 5x05 so I may, theoretically, disregard anything from after that episode.

**A/N 2:** This is an unbeta'd first draft, so apologies if it is lacking in something. I really wanted to get it up today in honour of Harri83's birthday. She's my usual beta and a fantastic author in her own right (if you like Ashes to Ashes, you should definitely check out her stuff!). Anyway - Happy Birthday Harri! Enjoy.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

_Thursday 27__th__ Aug 2009_

Jo rapped lightly on Harry's office door before opening it; no-one could get away without knocking, not anymore. There had only been one person who ever could but Jo banished that thought to the back of her mind, entered and sat down in front of his desk.

"Yes?" he asked, irritated at being disturbed.

"I was wondering if I could take some leave? Starting next Wednesday." Jo was hesitant in asking; Harry's moods could be unpredictable and the tone of his voice suggested he was not at his best today. Personally, Jo didn't think he'd once been at his best since Ruth's death three and half years ago, but she was sensible enough not to voice her opinion.

"A bit short notice isn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose so. My cousin Ben lives abroad you see. Cyprus. And he's invited me to spend my birthday over there."

"I see. How long do you envisage being away?"

"Two weeks."

"Have you filled in the appropriate forms?" Jo handed him the paperwork she'd completed. Harry cast his eye over them. "And your cousin has been vetted?"

"Yes, before I took up my position here."

"Well you're entitled to your leave and there are no major state visits in the offing during the next few weeks so I suppose I can grant your request." He signed the form and handed it back to her.

"Thank you Harry," she said, rising to leave.

"All sorted?" Zaf asked as she returned to her desk.

"Yep. Can't wait. Two whole weeks of sun, sea and…" she trailed off as she saw Zaf raise an eyebrow. "I was going to say sangria!" she insisted.

"Yeh, of course you were. And sangria's Spanish, not Cypriot."

"Whatever," she shot back; grabbing her phone to let her cousin know that would definitely be visiting him so he could book her flights.

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><p><em>Wednesday 2<em>_nd__ Sept 2009_

Jo stepped out of Pathos International Airport and was instantly greeted by a wall of heat, despite it only being 10 o'clock in the morning. Digging her sunglasses out of her holdall, she spotted Ben leaning against a lamppost. He waved at her and she rushed over to him, dragging her case behind her and enveloping him in a massive hug before pulling back and planting a playful smack on his arm!

"Nice to see you too, Cuz!" Ben quipped.

"Oh shut it. That's for not meeting me at the gate; I looked like right lemon just stood there waiting! Thought you'd forgotten about me!"

"As if anyone could ever forget about you!"

"Oi! Watch it!" she warned before stepping back to take a good long look at her baby cousin; appraising him. "You look good. Life out here obviously suits you."

"Can't complain. I've got a great job, fantastic weather, beautiful scenery, the girls are gorgeous…and scantily clad," he commented his eyes caught by a group of girls walking by in hot pants.

"Well you've not changed that much in the last year then," laughed Jo. "Come on, show me your bachelor pad, then you can take me for food – I'm starved!"

They spent the drive to Ben's villa talking about her flight and catching up on each other's lives. Once they had dropped off Jo's luggage, Ben drove them to the next village to eat. He had insisted on going there, as it was home to the best local café in the area and served the tastiest Tavas on the whole island. Having sampled the simple fare Jo found she had to agree; it was delicious. Over a long lunch the two chatted about the village and what was on offer for Jo to do while she was here. Ben told her about the scenic mountain walks, the beaches, the numerous markets, and the legendary museum.

"Sounds like I'll have a busy couple of weeks," Jo commented. "Although I intend to spend the next couple of days lay by your pool. I feel like a bloody snowman next to you with your lovely bronze tan!"

"Whatever floats your boat, Jo-Jo," Ben replied, using the nickname that he'd had for her since their childhood. "I'm probably going to have to nip into the office for a couple of days anyway. Didn't manage to get as much work done before you arrived as I'd originally hoped."

During a natural lull in the conversation, Jo took her time to appreciate the establishment they were frequenting. It was classic, elegant but with a homey feel to it; like something out of a film. It was also a great spot for people watching; an activity that Jo partook of when Ben excused himself to use the bathroom and pay the bill. She watched as people greeted each other in the square, as shoppers bought fruit and vegetables from the shop on the corner and as a little girl ran past the café window laughing; her brunette curls bouncing lightly around her face as she did so. Jo smiled at the sight and her eyes followed the young girl down the street until another flash of colour caught her eye. A woman was chasing after the girl; a woman who looked extremely familiar to Jo. She looked on, open mouthed as the woman finally caught up with the girl and picked her up and twirled her round, laughing. As she spun round, Jo got a proper look at her face and her eyes widened. Jo had never imagined she would see that face again. She rose from the table and rushed out of the café ignoring Ben's shouts as he returned to the table and noticed her leaving. She looked up and down the street but couldn't see either the woman or the girl. She continued on in the direction she thought she'd seen them go, Ben following and calling after her. After a couple of minutes, she caught a glimpse of a woman and child turn into a side street a little further up the road, but by the time she reached it she was nowhere to be found. She stood in the middle of the street, hands on her thighs, panting.

"Jo?" queried Ben, finally catching up with her. "What the hell is going on?"

"Sorry Ben. I just…I thought I saw someone I knew. Someone I used to work with."

"Really? The chance of that happening must be miniscule."

"Especially in this case. She died. Over three years ago."

"Well in that case it can't have been her, can it? Must just have been someone who looked like her." Ben regarded his cousin with concern. "Come on Jo-Jo. Let's get you home; you've had an early morning and a long flight, you must be shattered." Jo allowed herself to be led away by her cousin. He was right in one respect, she was tired. But not tired enough that she should be seeing things. She knew she hadn't been imagining things. She had just seen Ruth Evershed, living and breathing, she was sure of it. The question now was what was she going to do about it?

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><p><strong>AN 3:** Tavas is (according to Google) a traditional Cypriot dish of lamb (sometimes pork) cooked slowly in the oven, with potatoes, tomatoes and sometimes carrots and other in season bits.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N 1: **Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. I've been very nervous about posting Spooks fic because I'm quite new to the fandom and don't feel I know the characters or the little details of the show as well as I do in my other fandoms. And I'd hate not to do the show justice, because it's just so fantastic. But I am trying very hard and am learning new things every day, so please bear with me. Your reviews are a massive encouragement so keep those coming!

**A/N 2: **I don't speak Greek and have never actually been to Cyprus so all the translations and information in this chapter are courtesy of that exciting, wonderful place called the Internet. Apologies if I've got anything wrong.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

_Thursday 3__rd__ Sept 2009_

Jo was up bright and early the next morning, having barely slept. Her dreams had been plagued by Ruth and the days leading up to and after her 'death'. The guilt she had felt at the time came flooding back. Could she have done more? Should she have done anything differently? Her first instinct had been to phone the Grid but then she had thought about it; what evidence did she really have that Ruth was alive? A fleeting glimpse in a crowded street was hardly unequivocal. No, she needed proof, something concrete to show them, to show Harry, that Ruth was alive. So she was going to spend the day exploring the neighbouring village, seeing what she could uncover.

"Good morning," Ben greeted as he entered the kitchen. "You're up early!"

"Well, it's such a lovely day. It seems a shame to waste it, especially when there's so much to explore."

"What happened to the marathon tanning sessions you were planning?"

"I figured I could multi-task; work on my tan and look around at the same time."

Ben didn't look convinced. "Has this got anything to with yesterday?"

"What?" she asked casually.

"y'know, you thinking you'd seen a dead woman?"

"Oh that. No. I mean like you said, must just have been someone who looked like her," she lied. "My sleep-deprived brain was just working overtime. That's the last time I take an overnight flight. No, I just want to make the most of my time here. Hardly want to be going back home and only being able to tell people of the sights of your gardens!"

"Want me to come with you or will you be okay on your own?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine. Contrary to popular belief I did manage to survive remarkably well living alone for three years in Durham. Just stop fussing and go to work will you; the sooner you finish your work, the sooner we can spend some proper time together."

* * *

><p>Having finally convinced her cousin to go to work, Jo put her plan into action. She walked into the village and then took a bus to Polis, the village where she had seen Ruth the previous day. She wandered around for almost an hour, getting the feel for the place and wondering where she could start her search. Her hope that Ruth would return to the market square whilst she was there proved futile so it was time to put her Spook know-how to use. She entered the grocery shop on the corner and addressed the shop keeper.<p>

"Με συγχωρείτε, εσείς μιλάτε Αγγλικά" _(Excuse me, do you speak Englis_h?) she asked, putting the little Greek she knew to good use.

"Όχι, αλλά η κόρη μου κάνει. Μια στιγμή παρακαλώ. Alysa!" _("No, but my daughter does. One moment please. Alysa!")_ A young girl, no more than fifteen, emerged from the back of the shop at her father's shout.

"Ναι, πατέρα?" _(Yes Father?)_

"Αυτή η κυρία μιλάει αγγλικά." _(This lady speaks English.)_

The young girl turned to Jo with a smile, "Good morning. How can I help you?" she asked. Jo was relived not to have to attempt much more Greek; she didn't know how far she would get. She explained to the girl that she was looking to move into the area and wondered if there were any ex-Brits living here already.

"There is an older couple out to the East of the village, and a woman and her daughter who lives not far. I do not know her name. She works at the museum. Maybe you find her there?" It had to be Ruth, Jo could feel it. Thanking the girl and her father for their time Jo left the shop and headed for the Polis Chrysochous Marion-Arsinoe Archaeological Museum

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><p>It didn't take long for Jo to walk to the museum, and upon her arrival she stood outside for several moments, getting her head together before entering. She paid her fee and bought an English guide book and was wandering around the museum, absentmindedly flicking though it when a specific section caught her eye. There on the page was a photo of Ruth. Her hair was different but it was definitely her. Jo scanned the text next to the photo.<p>

'_Our assistant curator, Susan Pearce, joined us in 2008 and has an extensive knowledge of both Cypriot and Greek history….'_

Jo stopped reading at that point and headed for the information desk, eager to find her friend.

"Can I help you?" the assistant asked.

"How did you know I was English?" Jo asked, startled. The assistant merely pointed to the English guidebook Jo was carrying. "Ah right. Yes of course. Erm, I'm looking for Susan Pearce."

"You know Susan?"

"Yes, we used to work together. Is she here today?"

"I'm afraid she is not; only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Could you return tomorrow?"

"I'm only in town for a few days," Jo lied, "and I have quite a packed schedule. Does she live locally? Maybe I could pop in and see her?"

"I don't think I should..."

"Oh please. When we worked together she was like my mentor; it would be lovely to see her again. To say thanks, you see."

"Oh, okay then," relented the older woman, scribbling down an address on a small scrap of paper. "No one must know that I-"

"Don't worry. I won't tell," Jo assured, grateful for her indiscretion.

* * *

><p>By the time Jo made it to the address she had been given, it was after one. Despite the opinion of the grocer's daughter, Ruth's house was quite a trek from the village and Jo was beginning to feel hungry. She knocked lightly on the door, bracing herself for Ruth's reaction when she opened the door. Jo waited but no answer came. Suddenly she heard a child's laughter come from around the back of the house. Fighting an internal battle with herself about what to do, Jo made her way around the house. In the back garden Jo found the young girl she'd seen the previous day playing on the swing,<p>

"H-helllo," she greeted, unsure if the child even spoke English

"Hi," the little girl beamed back. "Who are you?"

"My name's Jo."

"I'm Sophia. Sophia Elizabeth Pearce," the girl told her proudly confirming Jo's initial thoughts that she was Ruth's daughter. Now she could see her close up, the resemblance was remarkable; she had Ruth's eyes and hair, but there was something else about her face, something familiar that wasn't Ruth but Jo couldn't place it.

"That's a lovely name. Is your Mummy in?"

"She's inside." Sophia jumped off the swing, took Jo's hand and dragged her towards the house. "Come on." They entered the kitchen through the patio doors and Jo could see Ruth, her back to them, making lunch. "Mummy!"

"Lunch is nearly ready Soph," Ruth said without turning her head, "go back outside and wait please." Jo took a sharp intake of breath as she heard Ruth's soft voice for the first time in over three years.

"But Mummy, Jo's here," she said simply as if Jo was a familiar adult; someone she'd known all her life.

"Jo?" Ruth asked, confused and apprehensive, as she turned around to face her daughter. As she caught of sight of who her daughter was with, her eyes went wide and the glass she was holding slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor with a loud crash.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ruth just stood there in shock, motionless. Jo rushed over to help pick up the shattered glass. Sophia made to follow her, but noting her bare feet, Jo warned her, "No. Stay there; you'll cut your feet on the glass."

Sophia nodded and then looked at her Mum, "Mummy? Are you okay?"

Her daughter's voice brought Ruth back to reality and she gave her daughter a small smile. "I'm fine sweetheart. Jo is an old friend and it was just a surprise to see her, that's all."

"A nice surprise or a bad surprise?" Sophia pressed.

"A nice surprise," Ruth assured her, although Jo couldn't tell if she was telling the truth. "Now go on back outside, while Jo and I clean up and I finish your lunch." Once she was sure Sophia was out of earshot, Ruth turned to Jo. "What the hell are you doing here? How did you find me?" she asked, agitated as she crouched down with a dustpan and brush to clear up the broken glass. "I mean I was so careful. There was nothing to give me away. Nothing."

Ruth was babbling like she'd always used to, and it was all Jo could do not to laugh with joy at having found her friend alive and well. "Breathe Ruth. I didn't find you. Well, I didn't set out to. My cousin lives in Kathikas and I came out to visit him. We were in a café in the market square here yesterday and you walked past the window. I couldn't believe it when I saw you; I mean you were dead. How could you be wandering the streets of Cyprus?"

"You thought I was dead. Still? After all this time? Didn't Adam and Zaf tell you?"

"Adam and Zaf? They knew you were here?"

"No. But they knew I was alive. They helped me escape." Jo nodded, understanding. She had suspected there as something that Adam and Zaf hadn't been telling her about the circumstances surrounding Ruth's 'death' and had tried everything she could think of to get them to let her in on whatever it was. But they didn't move an inch and in the end Jo had no choice but to accept the fact that her friend had died. "I'm sorry," Ruth muttered.

"Sorry? What for?"

"For you thinking I was dead," Ruth explained. There was a pause before either of them spoke again.

"I read at your funeral y'know? Malcolm too."

"He chose an appropriate poem, no doubt," commented Ruth with a sad smile.

"Of course." With the final remnants of the glass swept up, they both got to their feet.

"We should have tried harder to prove your innocence," Jo admitted, leaning on the counter, the guilt she had been feeling overwhelming her once again.

"You did all you could," Ruth told her, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

"Obviously not or you wouldn't have had to run."

"It was my choice, Jo. Someone had to take the fall. It was me or…" Ruth trailed off, but Jo knew she was referring to Harry. "It was better this way."

"Better for who? Not you, who had to leave your friends and family and start your life all over again. And certainly not Harry, who's walked around like a bear with a sore head ever since you left."

Ruth felt tears prick her eyes at the mention of Harry and the effect that her departure had had on him. Not wanting to cry for fear she'd never stop, she picked up the sandwiches she had been making and took them outside to her daughter. When she'd calmed herself and swallowed back the tears, she returned to Jo.

"It was better for the country. You know that if _he'd_ taken the fall, they'd have given his job to someone like Mace. Someone with a hidden agenda. The country wouldn't have known what had hit it." Jo nodded, as much as she hated it, she could see Ruth's point.

"He's never been the same you know," Jo added in a whisper.

"Neither have I," Ruth admitted before pulling herself back together and shifting the conversation. "Would you like some lunch Jo?"

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><p>They ate in uncomfortable silence, neither really knowing what to say to the other. Jo not wanting to upset Ruth by talking of the life she used to have and not knowing where to begin asking about her new life and Ruth, having so many questions that she didn't know which to ask first. In the end it was Sophia who spring boarded their conversation. She rushed into the room and placed her now empty plastic plate on the counter and turned to Jo, "Do you know my Daddy?"<p>

Jo was about to respond that no, she didn't know her Dad but Sophia didn't give her chance. "He's called Harry. He's has a very important job in another country. " Ruth was out of her chair in an instant; she scooped up her daughter and took her into another room. Jo followed and stood by the door that Ruth had left slightly ajar and listened.

"Sophia, what did we say about talking to people about your Daddy?" Ruth asked her daughter.

"Not to," Sophia replied sadly.

"Why not?"

"Cos people can't know he's my Daddy."

"That's right, they can't. Not yet anyway. Not until he's finished his very important job. Can you try to remember that?"

"I'll try Mummy. Sorry."

"Good girl. Now why don't you go to your room and play for a little while whilst I talk to Jo."

"Mummy? Have I got Daddy into trouble?"

"No sweetheart, don't worry." Sensing Ruth was about to return to the kitchen, Jo stepped away from the door, but not quick enough to avoid been seen by Ruth. "Never trust a spook," she commented wryly, shaking her head. "I suppose you heard all that?"

"She's Harry's?" Jo clarified. Ruth nodded. "But I thought you guys only went out once."

"I'm not sure quite what you were taught in Biology, Jo but once is enough."

"I know that, I just didn't think that you…"

"What, that I'd jump into bed with a man on the first date?"

"Well, yes."

"Well I wouldn't under normal circumstances. But this was…different. This was Harry." Ruth blushed as she admitted her deepest secret to her old friend.

Jo was overwhelmed by guilt again. "Oh Ruth! I'm so sorry. If only I'd kept my big mouth shut."

"Forget it Jo. It's done now. We can't change what's happened."

"Does Harry know?"

Ruth shook her head, "No. I didn't know myself until I was out of Britain. By then it was too late; it was too dangerous for me to contact him. So I just carried on with the plan or as much as I could. I hadn't planned on settling down so soon, but being pregnant changed that. I left in the March, settled here in the August and she was born at the end of October."

"But you've told her about him?"

"I didn't know what I was going to tell her at first so I never mentioned him, but a couple of months ago she came home from nursery and asked about her Daddy. I realised I couldn't ignore it any longer. I showed her a picture; the one I managed to smuggle out of the country, and I told her his name and that he wasn't here because he had a very important job that meant he couldn't be, but that he loved her and he'd be here if he could. She has the picture in a frame next to her bed and kisses it before she goes to sleep. It's her way of saying goodnight to him. It breaks my heart but there's nothing I can do about it."


	4. Chapter 4

****A/N** 1:** Had a request from _forrestsc_ for another chapter tonight, so here we go - especially for you.

**A/N 2: **After I posted the last chapter I noticed a mistake; the month of Sophia's birth differed between what I had written for that chapter and what I had planned for Chapter 5. I have gone back and edited the previous chapter but just to reiterate; Sophia was born at the end of October; **_not_ **November as previously stated.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Of course, Jo disagreed with Ruth's assertion that the situation with Harry and Sophia could not be changed.

"Here's a radical idea; you could just tell him."

"Jo-" Ruth began to protest, but Jo cut her off.

"He has a right to know," Jo pointed out. "He'd want to know."

"I can't; it's been too long."

"You can't go on like this forever. What happens when Sophia wants to know more about her Dad. What are you going to tell her then? Carry on lying to her about it? She'll never forgive you if she ever finds out and she will Ruth, when she grows up and does some digging of her own to get the answers she can't get from you. If she's got half the brains you've got it won't take her long."

Deep down Ruth knew Jo had a point, but she couldn't see a way of fixing the situation. "So what do you suggest I do Jo? It's not exactly the kind of news you can tell someone in an email or a letter and I can't very well travel to London to tell him in person can I?"

"I could tell him?" Jo suggests, not particularly relishing he idea but determined to do something to help her friend; to make up for what she sees as past mistakes.

"No. It has to come from me. I'm sorry Jo, but this is too personal to go through a third party." She let out a frustrated sigh. "See, it's useless."

"Leave it with me. I'll think of something," Jo asserted

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><p><em>Sunday 6<em>_th__ Sept 2009_

"I've got it!" declared Jo as Ruth opened her front door early on Sunday morning.

"Do you know what time it is?" Ruth asked sleepily.

Jo looked at her watch. "Oh, sorry. Didn't realise quite how early it was. I was just so excited by my idea."

"What idea? What are you talking about?"

Jo pushed passed her into the hallway, closing the door behind her. "My idea for how you can tell Harry about Sophia."

Ruth ushered Jo into the kitchen and flicked on the coffee pot. She poured them both a cup and sat down at the large oak table, gesturing for Jo to do the same.

"So what's this big idea then?"

"A video."

"What?" Ruth was sceptical.

"A video," Jo reiterated. "It came to me last night whilst I was out to dinner with Ben. I was sat in the restaurant and there was a group of twenty-somethings, probably on a gap year, and they were making a sort of video diary of their trip. Anyway, that's when it suddenly hit me. You could make a video for Harry, telling him about Sophia. I could smuggle it back on a disc mixed in with my CD's and give it to him. We could put videos and photos of Sophia on it too." She fished into her bag and produced a small flip screen camera. "Ben's even let me borrow this!"

"You've not told him?"

"Of course not; he thinks I want to take videos of the island. Stop panicking. Come on Ruth, what do you say?"

Ruth sat and thought about it for a while, Jo's idea did seem to make sense, but if she was brutally honest with herself, she was scared. Scared of Harry's reaction, of the consequences the video had for their safety, and of losing her daughter.

"Come on Ruth," urged Jo. "You know this is the right thing to do."

Ruth sighed, Jo was right. Despite the risks, this was the right thing to do; Harry needed to know about his daughter.

"Okay. But not today; I'll need time to think of what to say."

"Sure, but I figured we could take some footage of Sophia to use later."

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><p>Having convinced Ruth to go ahead with the plan, Jo spent the rest of her trip alternating between spending time with Ben and seeing Ruth and Sophia. She took several hours worth of footage and hundreds of photographs of the little girl in various situations; splashing about in the pool, playing on a swing, looking at a book, even sleeping and eating. She also covertly took some footage of Ruth and Sophie together; thinking Harry would appreciate seeing Ruth too, even if Ruth herself wasn't too keen on the idea. Jo also told Sophia more about her Dad, in simple terms of course and she caught up with Ruth and made her promise to keep in touch, somehow.<p>

Finally the time came for Ruth to record her message to Harry; she couldn't put it off any longer as Jo was flying back to England the following day and needed time to transfer the video to disc. She had been a bundle of nerves, trying to decide what to say and what to wear. Eventually, knowing she couldn't leave it any longer, she emerged from her bedroom to find Jo and Sophia doing a large jigsaw on the floor of the living room.

"Ready?" Jo checked.

"No. But I don't think I ever will be."

"Well the camera's all set up; just sit yourself on the couch and press record on the remote." Jo pointed to the arm of the sofa where the remote lay. "Don't worry, I'll keep Sophia occupied." Turning to Sophia, she beckoned her over, "Come on you. Let's go for a swim."

Ruth sat down as instructed by Jo and, taking a deep breath, looked straight into the camera and pressed record on the remote.

* * *

><p>Ruth and Sophia stood by the door as Jo collected her jacket and her bag.<p>

"I can't believe it's time for you to go already," Ruth remarked as Jo approached them.

"Me neither," concurred Jo. "But don't worry, you won't get rid of me that easily. I've got your e-mail, so I'll be in touch." Ruth nodded, tears forming in her eyes. She'd done so well to forget much of her life before; fearing she wouldn't cope if she let herself remember, but now she was back where she had been 3 and half years ago; dealing with the grief and loss all over again.

"I don't want you to go!" cried Sophia suddenly, jumping at Jo with her arms outstretched. Jo caught the little girl and gave her a big hug.

"I'll miss you Soph," she whispered, stroking her hair. "But I'm sure I'll see you soon."

Ruth stepped forward to take Sophia from Jo's arms. She balanced her daughter on her hip with ease and used her free arm to give her old friend a hug.

"Take care Jo," Ruth whispered, tears falling freely now.

"I will," she assured. "I'll let you know when the deed is done," she added, referring to delivering the disc to Harry. Stepping away from the hug, she flashed Ruth and Sophia a smile, and made her way down the garden path. When she reached the gate, she turned back and gave them a small wave, before making her way back into the village determinedly. She was a woman on a mission; a mission to reunite two soul mates cruelly separated from each other by circumstances beyond their control. The first step; to get Ruth's video onto a disc, and then deliver the disc to Harry.

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><p><strong>AN 3:** Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging on to find out what Ruth's video message to Harry is. It will be in the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **A lovely extra-long chapter for you as a thank you for all your wonderful reviews and comments.

**Chapter 5**

_Thursday 17__th__ Sept 2009. Thames House, London_

The grid was already a hive of activity when Jo entered at ten past eight, files in hand. She had been eager to get in early and try and catch Harry before the rest of the team had arrived. It appeared, however, that she had failed in that respect; from the look of them they had been here all night. She supposed she should have realised when Zaf hadn't been in to welcome her home, but she just assumed he'd been out with his latest squeeze, what was her name? Kirsty? Crystal? Something like that.

"What's going off?" she asked Zaf, hanging her jacket over the back of her chair and booting up her PC.

"Oh nothing major. We've just foiled a plot a plot to assassinate the Prime Minister and the Deputy. All in a day's work really."

"I miss all the fun," bantered Jo, sitting down. "Oh joy! Fifty-seven emails. This is getting ridiculous. I mean do they really think I care about the new policy for 'safe use of vending machines' or the DG's inspirational monthly newsletter."

"Oh, just wait until you get to the one from Debra Langham!" chuckled Zaf. Jo made a sound of disgust as she repeatedly hit the delete button, not caring what she was binning. "So, nice holiday?" continued Zaf.

"Lovely thanks. I had a great time," she replied. She was still miffed at the fact that he had kept her in the dark, but she had more important things on her mind than confronting him at the moment. "Is Harry in?" she asked collecting her files and rising from her desk.

"Yeh, but I wouldn't. He's not the happiest of people this morning."

"Is he ever?" Jo quipped over her shoulder as she headed for his office. She entered with a small knock to announce herself. Harry looked up at her as she approached his desk.

"Ah Miss Portman, welcome back. Nice holiday I trust?"

"Very…enlightening yes."

"Good. Eager to get back to work, I hope. The threat of terrorism has, alas, not disappeared whilst you have been away. I believe Adam's got a little task for you."

"I'll get right onto that. Just wanted to bring you these," she explained, placing the files down on his desk.

"What on earth are these?" exasperated Harry. After the night he'd had, the last thing he needed was more paperwork.

"I'm really not at liberty to say," she began cryptically, "but I think you'll find the top one very interesting indeed. It would be extremely worth your while to take a look as a matter of priority and in complete privacy. What is it they say, 'the glorious gifts of the gods are not to be cast aside'?"

"Homer's Iliad," observed Harry, recognising the quote instantly as Jo had hoped. Jo simply nodded.

"Like I said, look at the file. I think you may regard the contents as a glorious gift from the gods." Her piece said, Jo retreated from the office to find Adam. She could only hope that Harry would understand the meaning behind her words and take her advice.

After staring at the files Jo had placed on his desk for a good fifteen minutes, his head was spinning with theories and questions and his Spook instincts were on high alert. It was Jo's use of the quote from Homer's Iliad that had got him. It was so out of character for her; Harry knew she hadn't read Classics at university and she didn't strike him as the type to read Homer in her spare time. Sighing, he dragged the files across the surface of the desk and took the top one off the pile. It wasn't very thick, which only added to his curiosity. On opening the simple brown folder, he found nothing more than a CD-ROM attached to the back cover and scrawled with the words, Polis, Cyprus; Jo's holiday destination, if he recalled correctly.

Remembering Jo's words about complete privacy, he stood and locked his door, catching Jo's eye as he did so. He could have sworn he'd seen a flash of relief in her eyes; relief that he was doing as she'd instructed, he wondered. He carefully placed the disc into his computer and closed the tray. He reclined back in his leather office chair to view whatever it was that Jo had deemed so important. If it was nothing more than holiday snaps he was not going to be impressed.

The auto-run kicked in and opened an explorer window for him to view the contents of the disc. There was a folder labelled 'Photos', another labelled 'Videos' and a final one simply called 'Misc' but it was the video file named 'WATCH ME FIRST' that drew his attention, as he was sure was the point. Ensuring his speakers were on, he double clicked on the file. His eyes widened as Ruth's face filled the screen. Sitting up, he leant closer to the screen, watching intently as Ruth seemed to struggle with what to say for a few moments before beginning to speak.

"_Harry I can't actually believe I'm doing this; that Jo has convinced me this is a good idea, but it would appear I am and she has, so here goes." _

Ruth took a deep breath, as she prepared to continue.

"_Jo came across me quite by accident during her trip to see her cousin; he lives in the next village you see and our paths crossed in the square one day. I was shocked to say the least, but it was lovely to see a familiar face and to hear how everyone is doing back on the Grid. Don't worry, she's not given away any state secrets; we've just been catching up on each other's lives. Which brings me to the purpose of this video. You see Harry, I have a secret. Well actually in this new life I have many, but my main secret is one I've been keeping from you."_

Harry held his breath, trepidation cursing through his veins as he wondered what secret she could have possibly been keeping from him.

"_I don't know if you remember our one and only date and the events that followed immediately afterwards when you dropped me home. Well, tried and failed to drop me off; I should probably say, considering the fact that we got a little distracted when saying goodbye and you ended up staying over."_

Harry watched as Ruth blushed on screen and smiled sadly; he did indeed remember. He'd leaned in to place a goodnight kiss on her cheek at the same time as she'd turned her head and their lips had connected. Neither of them had planned on ending the night in bed together, but once their lips had touched both had quickly realised that that was exactly where things were headed. He remembered making sure that it was what she wanted and she'd assured him that it was and that there would be no regrets in the morning. But there were of course, when details of their meal together had gotten onto the grid. That night had formed the basis for many of Harry's fantasies since then, fantasies that had kept him warm through the cold nights he spent alone in bed.

"_I'd like to hope you remember. But that's not what's important here, it's the consequence of our actions that night that is. I hope you're sitting down Harry, if not I suggest you do, as what I'm about to say might come as a bit of a shock. A few weeks after I left, I discovered I was pregnant. That's right, pregnant. The result of our single night together; I was carrying your child."_

Whatever Harry had been expecting Ruth to say, that was not it.He stared open mouthed at the screen. Ruth had seemed to envisage that Harry would need time to digest her confession as she paused for a few moments for him to take it in. Once over the shock, Harry wondered what she had done? Had she kept the child? Or decided to completely rid herself of any ties to her old life?

"_I was alone in a foreign country, in exile with no possibility of returning home or contacting you and I was scared Harry. So scared. But I need you to know that never once did I even considered the possibility of aborting the child; our child. A child that had been conceived in love. I know I never said it, but I did love you Harry, even then. I hope it's not too presumptuous of me to say that I'm almost certain you loved me too. That was going to be the 'something wonderful, never said' wasn't it? I'm sorry I didn't let you finish that sentence, but it would have made leaving you even harder, and I was only just managing to remind myself why I had to go as it was."_

As much as that moment had pained him, he had come to realise why Ruth had stopped him saying the three words that he should have said long ago. He had just hoped and prayed that she had realised, which it seemed she had.

"_I travelled around Europe until it became impractical for me to continue. I settled here and just over a month later our daughter arrived. Sophia Elizabeth Pearce, born 27th October 2006 weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces. She's beautiful Harry, just wait until you see her. Clever with it, but stubborn also…too much like both her parents. She knows all about her Daddy I've made sure of that; she even has a picture of you by the side of her bed. I've told her you have a very important job that keeps you away from us, but that you love her and are proud of her. I hope I will be proved right. I think I will. Even so, I don't want you to feel any obligation to either of us. We've managed so far alone and we can continue to do so if you so wish. If you do want to contact me…us, then Jo will tell you how. I have no expectations Harry; the ball is in your court."_

A daughter; he had another daughter. Harry knew, without even seeing her that he loved her with all of his heart, and that he would be proud of her for so many reasons. As for having no contact with them, how could Ruth even think that idea would enter his head. It was all he could do to stop himself from rushing to Heathrow and jumping on a plane to see them. He vowed in that moment that he was going to be as involved in Sophia's life as their situation enabled him to be; he would not let her, or her mother, down.

"_I want to apologise for not being able to tell you sooner, but I couldn't risk it at first and then the longer I left it the harder it became, especially seeing as how I couldn't be sure that contacting you wouldn't put Sophia and I in danger. So I'm sorry that it's taken so long, and I hope you will be able to forgive me that. I guess all that remains is for me to say goodbye. I do hope we'll see each other again someday Harry, for Sophia's sake if nothing else, but like I've said, if you choose not to then that's okay. Goodbye Harry. Stay safe – remember you promised not to get shot."_

Harry saw tears begin to trickle down Ruth's cheeks before the screen faded to black. He was just about to rewind to see and hear her again, when he noticed that the timer at the bottom of the screen was still running; there was still more to see. As Harry continued to watch, a little girl appeared in sight of the camera. Armed with a small brown teddy bear she clambered up onto the sofa, seemingly completely oblivious to the camera. Harry sucked in a breath as he realised he was seeing his daughter for the first time. Ruth had been right, she was beautiful. He watched as she picked up a book and started to 'read' to the bear she clung to. He heard Jo's voice from somewhere behind the camera,

"_Sophia. I'm making a video to take back and show your Daddy; so he can see how big you're getting. Do you want to say hello?" _

Sophia turned to face the camera and waved.

"_Hello Daddy!"_

She let out a little giggle, before returning to her play. Harry found himself choking back tears at hearing her call him, 'Daddy' for the first time. He watched her until the video faded out; his heart swelling with pride. Once it had finished, he closed down the window, removed the disc from the computer and locked it in his desk with the files. He would look at the remaining content later. For now, he needed to speak to Jo. Composing himself, he stepped out onto the grid and approached Jo's desk. Sensing his presence she looked up apprehensively, worried about his reaction to the video.

"Miss Portman. A word." Jo stood silently and followed Harry, not to his office as she expected, but through the pods and up to the roof; the rest of the team watching with interest.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **I am absolutely overwhelmed by reviews and comments you've been sending in for this fic. Thank you so much. I do try to reply to them all individually, but I apologise if I've missed anyone.

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

_Still Thursday 17__th__ Sept 2009_

Harry leant against the railings, looking out across the London skyline, trying to gather his thoughts. He and Jo had been up there for nearly fifteen minutes and he hadn't uttered a word. For all that he had wanted to say to her, all the questions he had, he just couldn't seem to vocalise them.

"Harry," Jo began, as she shivered slightly in the September breeze, but he cut her off.

"How is she Jo?" There was no need for him to articulate who he was referring to.

"She's fine Harry. She's doing really well." Harry's face fell slightly. He knew it was selfish, but part of him had hoped that Ruth needed him; that she wasn't fully functioning without him. Jo seemed to sense his thoughts so added, "She might not _need_ you in her life Harry, but she _wants_ you in it."

"She said that?"

"Not in so many words, but it was implied, on several occasions. Trust me."

"Tell me about Sophia."

"Oh, she's a little star Harry, a right little character. Bright as a button. A miniature Ruth, but there are hints of you there too." Jo pauses, allowing him time. "She loves you very much."

"She doesn't know me."

"You're her Daddy; what more does a three year old need to know? She kisses your photo every night before she goes to bed and draws pictures of you; of the things you'll do together when she finally sees you. There's some in the second file I gave you. As well as several hundred photos and videos on the disc."

"I didn't get that far," admitted Harry. "The video knocked me off kilter a little."

"I'm not surprised."

"I need to speak to Ruth. She said in her video you'd know how to contact her."

Jo handed Harry a scrap of paper. "It's only an email address, Harry. But it's a start. Might be best to memorise that and destroy it. And I'm sure I don't need to tell you about not sending them from a traceable email account." Harry threw her a look; was a junior case officer really lecturing him, a section head, on remaining anonymous? "Ruth was…concerned; she doesn't want to risk anything happening to Sophia," Jo explained.

"She thinks I would put them in danger?"

"I think she thought you might be so overcome with emotion that you wouldn't realise what you were doing. I could see you when you were watching the video – tell me you didn't want to rush out and catch the next plane to Cyprus?" Harry's silence spoke for itself. "It's not that she doesn't trust you; she just thought a gentle reminder wouldn't go amiss." Jo turned to leave Harry with his thoughts and was half way to the door when his voice stopped her.

"Thank you Jo. There's more than a good chance this will come up in your pay review."

"That's…good to know but that's not why I did this. I want the three of you to be happy, and any fool can see you'll only be that when you're together."

"Can I rely on your discretion; about Sophia? For the time being at least."

"Of course," Jo assured, making her way to the door and leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Harry sat at staring at the computer screen in the nondescript internet café, his fingers poised over the keyboard. All he had managed to type so far was, <em>'Dear Susan, I hope this correspondence finds you and Sophia well'.<em> Just like earlier on the roof, he knew exactly what he wanted to say, he just couldn't think of how to put it.

The thought of Ruth having to go through a pregnancy and raise their daughter alone was distressing him; he wished he could have been there, to see her glow as their child grew inside her, to support her through the pains of the birth, to help with midnight feeds and changing nappies, to see Sophia's first steps and hear her first words. He couldn't put that in an email though, it may give too much away; it was something that needed to be expressed in person. He wanted to tell her that he still cared for her, still loved her, but again that was something to do to her face. He could only hope the day when he could do that wouldn't be too far off.

As he pictured Ruth his mind's eye his fingers began to wander over the keyboard of their own accord and suddenly he had a paragraph. One paragraph that gave way to another and no sooner had he started typing than his email was finished. He had resolved to keep it short and ensure that the topic of their e-mail would not be decipherable, should it be intercepted. After checking it over one final time, Harry took a deep breath and pressed the 'send' button before leaving the café, and heading back to the grid to ask Malcolm to hack into their CCTV and erase all traces of him ever being there in the first place.

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><p><em>Later that afternoon<em>

Jo watched as Ros left the Grid; she needed to speak to Zaf and Adam about Ruth, but couldn't risk doing so in Ros' presence. She couldn't know with certainty if Ros still had contacts with the people who had forced Ruth's exile, so she thought it prudent to keep her out of the loop, for the moment at least. She didn't have to worry about Harry; he'd been called to a meeting with the DG about re-assessing the threat level. As the pods swished closed and Ros retreated down the corridor, Jo rose from her desk.

"Adam, Zaf! Briefing room. Now!"

Not used to Jo giving orders they were slightly taken aback but followed curiously; assuming she had found something juicy about the new right-wing extremist Islam group that had popped up on their Radar. Once Adam and Zaf were seated, Jo locked the door and moved round the opposite side of the table.

"You two have been keeping me in the dark!" she accused.

Adam and Zaf looked at each other blankly, and Adam spoke up, "Come again?"

"Oh don't play the innocent with me. Two words. Susan Pearce." Zaf blanched as the legend he'd chosen for Ruth all those years ago poured from Jo's lips. "How could you not tell me?" Jo continued addressing Zaf, emotion evident in her voice.

"I…I couldn't. It was…"

"Don't you dare say it was too dangerous! She was my friend; I'd never have betrayed her."

"Not intentionally, no. I'm sorry Jo but there was no other way," Zaf tried to explain.

Adam, who hadn't been privy to Ruth's legend and, as a result, was still wearing a look of confusion, switched his gaze between the two of them like he was at a tennis match. "Someone care to tell me what on earth you're going on about?"

"Susan Pearce was the legend I chose for Ruth when she…" Zaf searched for the right word, "…left."

Adam suddenly realised why Jo was so annoyed and he tried to exert some damage control. "Jo…the less people who knew the safer it was for her. We couldn't risk it." He had the decency to look ashamed as he added, "I'm sorry."

"You saw what her death did to me; what it did to us all. Malcolm was inconsolable for weeks; especially with it coming so soon after Colin! Yet you just stood by and watched."

This time it was Zaf's turn to get angry. "Yeh, and do you have any idea how hard that was? To watch you suffering, to listen to you crying yourself to sleep at night, knowing that I had done that to you; that I had the knowledge to take all the pain away but couldn't. It killed me inside to see you hurting like that, but I promised Ruth I'd protect her and I couldn't risk breaking that promise."

Jo slumped in a chair, seemingly defeated. She hadn't thought about how keeping the secret had affected them; she'd been too caught up in her own emotions.

"How did you find out?" Adam asked her.

"I saw her; walking the streets of Cyprus. I thought I was going crazy."

"How is she?" enquired Zaf who had always had a soft spot for Ruth.

"She's good. Happy." Jo remembered her promise to Harry, that Sophia's existence remain a secret for now, so was careful not to reveal too much.

"Is that why you went to see Harry so urgently this morning? Why he's been distracted all day?"

"Yes, and probably," Jo replied. They sat in silence for a few moments before Jo spoke again. "I want to find out if she's still in danger," she told them.

"Why?" Adam wanted to know.

"Because I would like to be able to contact her again without any repercussions." This was only part of Jo's reason; obviously she wanted to see or speak to Ruth again and it would be easier if they didn't have to cover their tracks all the time, but it was more about Harry having a meaningful relationship with his daughter, and over time maybe Ruth as well.

"Does she want to come home? Has she asked you to do this?"

"No. She doesn't even know I'm going to do it. All I'm asking is that we do a little covert digging to suss out the situation. If she's still at risk then she doesn't need to know anything about it. If not…well we can let her know that she can relax a little, can't we?"

"We'll need Malcolm's help," Zaf observed. "We'll have to tell him."

Jo nodded, she'd anticipated as much, "Okay. But no one else. Especially not Ros."

"Jo, she's ch-" began Adam.

"No." Jo was firm. "I know you two are…close. But I mean it Adam. Outside the four of us, no one can know. Not even Harry."

"What can't I know?" asked Harry, entering the room. He raised a small smile at the baffled looks on the faces of his three agents. "It may be wise to remember that as section head, I have keys to every room on the Grid, and naturally when I come back from my meeting with the DG to find my three best officers ensconced in a room together, with a locked door…well, let's just say it piques my curiosity. So…what's going on?"

"Well…" began Zaf.

"Am I to take it that Miss Portman has filled you in about the more surprising aspects of her holiday?" he asked. Adam and Zaf nodded. Harry turned to Jo, "And this despite our conversation earlier?" His tone was accusatory; thinking she has broken her word.

"Well yes, but…I thought they should know that I knew Ruth was still alive. That's all. I thought they could help me." She tried to convey, through her gaze and her words, that she hadn't told them about Sophia. Luckily, he seemed to understand and relaxed a little.

"Help you with what?"

Jo quickly explained her plan to Harry, emphasising the need for discretion. Once she had finished, she looked at him expectantly.

"Right. Well you'd better get started then. Make sure you are not discovered. Adam, send Malcolm into my office; I'll brief him."

The three of them left and Harry allowed himself a small smile. His four best officers would be working out if it was safe for him to have uninhibited contact with Ruth and Sophia; maybe there was hope that they could figure a way out of this.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **As it's Christmas and I'm in a generous mood, here's another chapter! Apologies for the formatting of the email addresses in this chapter...every time I tried to put it in the website deleted it...but I liked the cute little messages in them so wanted to keep them in. If anyone can tell me how to fix it, I'd be eternally grateful!

**Chapter 7**

_Friday 18__th__ Sept 2009_

Ruth rushed into her office at 8.59am, flustered and emotional. Sophia had not had the best morning; she was still upset about Jo leaving two days previously, and had thrown the tantrum to end all tantrums while Ruth had been trying to get her ready for nursery. She had still been crying and screaming when she'd dropped her off at nursery 15 minutes ago. Ruth hated leaving her daughter when she was upset but that was one of the downsides of being a single parent; if she didn't work, they didn't have any money. She was sure her own stresses hadn't helped the situation either. Since receiving Jo's covert email yesterday afternoon, letting her know that she had passed on the disc to Harry, Ruth had been on constant alert, waiting for the police to come knocking, or worse, renegade agents acting on behalf of Oliver Mace. So far nothing, not even from Harry himself.

She booted up her computer as she began sifting through the museum's post. She became so engrossed in a letter from one of the larger museums in Nicosia that she forgot all about the computer until she heard the new e-mail alert from the Hotmail program that loaded as soon as the computer did. Her eyes scanned the new messages and her heart skipped a beat as she came across one from an unfamiliar address that was yet instantly recognisable; bringing a smile to her face and butterflies to her stomach.

_From: __ratherfondofstubbornoldmules(at)hotmail. co. uk __  
>To: <em>rosetintedblindspot(at)yahoo. com<em>  
>Subject: A enlightening encounter…<em>

Dear Susan.

_I hope this correspondence finds both you and Sophia well. You must excuse the e-mail address…I couldn't help myself; I thought it quite appropriate. I'm intrigued by yours though; would you care to offer an explanation?_

_It was such a surprise to hear of your encounter with our mutual friend. I won't insult your intelligence by lying to you; your news did come as a bit of a shock, but honestly, I couldn't be more thrilled by it. I understand why you couldn't tell me before; given the circumstances, I'd have to be an extremely limited man to hold it against you. Rest assured I am going to do everything in my power to remedy the situation we currently find ourselves in. _

_Sophia is beautiful; she looks so much like you. She's a real credit to you. I'm sure her Father is very proud of her. There is so much more that I want to say to you but, I'm afraid, due to the nature of my life at the moment, I must end this shortly. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can contact you again. _

_Give my love to Sophia. I hope you will understand if, for now, the 'something wonderful' remains unsaid; I doubt an impersonal e-mail is the place for such sentiment. _

_Yours, x_

_James_

Ruth felt wetness on her cheeks and realised that she'd been crying. Yes, Harry's email hadn't been explicit in its content; he was being vague on purpose to avoid detection, but she could read the meaning behind his words. His email address, the reference to being sure that Sophia's father was proud of her, and the use of phrases such as 'limited man' and 'something wonderful never said' assured Ruth that he was more than okay about the revelations in her video message and they gave her hope for the future.

Checking her watch, she hit the reply button; just enough time for a quick e-mail back before her boss would come looking for her.

_From: __rosetintedblindspot(at)yahoo. com____  
>To: <em>____ratherfondofstubbornoldmules(at)hotmail. co. uk ____  
><em>Subject: RE: A enlightening encounter…<em>

_James, _

_This will only be a short reply; I should actually be working. How wonderful to hear from you. I did worry that my news would come as too much of a shock; it is a relief to know it was well received. _

_Sophia is the one blessing in my life, and yes her father is proud of her. I shall pass on your love; she will be pleased to hear from you. _

_I understand that our contact may be infrequent; our lives tend that way now, but I look forward to your ideas about rectifying our situation. _

_Yours, _

_Susan _

_P.S. As for the email address; it was the brainchild of our mutual friend; she seemed to think it was appropriate. _

Quickly reading the message again and, after a few seconds of debating, adding a kiss to the end, she was satisfied that it would not give anything away if it were to be intercepted, she hit 'send' before gathering up the post and making her way to her boss's office.

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><p><em>Thursday 24<em>_th__ Sept 2009_

It was a nearly a week before Ruth received her reply; this time at home. She was sat on the sofa, Sophia playing happily on the floor when the computer beeped. She tried to remain calm; she'd been disappointed many times in the last few days when she'd received an email and got her hopes up that it had been him, and it had turned out not to be. But as she saw his email address on the screen and couldn't help but smile.

__From: __ratherfondofstubbornoldmules(at)hotmail. co. uk __  
>To: <em>rosetintedblindspot(at)yahoo. com<em>_  
>Subject: A enlightening encounter…<em>

_Susan,_

_I have spoken to our mutual friend about the email address, but she seems reluctant to divulge any information. I feel a different tactic is needed in this situation, but what I am not yet sure. _

_I, with the help of a select few of your old friends, have been digging around to see if there is any chance of a solution. As yet we have found nothing, but it has only been a week so I trust you won't be too disheartened by that news. We both know from experience how long these things can take. Might I suggest we spend the time using these emails to reacquaint ourselves with each other?_

_I keep thinking about you going through what you did alone, and I find myself wondering how you coped. I feel guilty that I wasn't there for you, even though I know it wasn't possible for me to be. I would also like to know more about Sophia; simple details, such as her favourite book or her favourite food. _

_Things have been a little busy here, but I finally managed to have a proper look at the papers you sent me. They are a delightful gift which I shall treasure. I am keeping one item in particular close to me at all times. A visual representation of the product of an act of love, shall we say. I take it out and admire it several times a day and I'm sure my colleagues must think I'm going crazy when they see the smile that creeps onto my face each time. I have not yet revealed to them your news; I wasn't sure if you'd want them to know just yet. Our mutual friend has agreed to keep our confidence too (better late than never, eh?)._

_It may be a while before I can communicate with you again, but when I do I hope I will have more positive news about our situation. _

_Love to Sophia_

_James. _

"We've had another message from your Daddy," Ruth told Sophia when she had digested the content of the email. "He says he loves you and wants us to tell him what your favourite story is."

"The Gruffalo!" Ruth chuckled; she could have told Harry that without needing to ask; Sophia was obsessed with that book.

"He also says he likes the paintings and drawings you did for him."

"Has he put them on his fridge?" asked the little girl curiously. Whenever she produced a new piece of artwork, Ruth always stuck them on the fridge.

"I don't know. Maybe we can ask him when we write back. But first things first, it's time for your bath." Sophia started to protest; she knew that after bath time, came story time, then bedtime and she didn't want to go to bed; she wanted to write to her Daddy. Ruth was having none of it, however and scooped her daughter up with ease. "Come on you. The sooner we get you bathed, the sooner we can send a message to Daddy."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Merry Christmas to all my readers. Here's a little gift for you, to say thanks for all the reviews.

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

_Thursday 15__th__ Oct 2009_

"Harry!" called Adam as he saw his boss cross the grid. "Can I have a word?"

"Can it wait, Adam? I'm late for a meeting with the DG."

"I think you should really take a look at this now," Adam insisted.

Harry relented with a roll of his eyebrows; the way things were going he was never going to make this meeting. "Okay. My office."

Adam entered Harry's office, beckoning Malcolm to follow. Harry sat at his desk and looked at them both expectantly.

Once Malcolm closed the door, Adam began, "We might have found something on Mace."

"Go on," Harry urged, trying not to get his hopes up. They had only been looking into him for a two weeks and in these situations he found it was never wise to count your chickens before they hatched. However, the thought of seeing Ruth again and being able to meet his daughter; to speak to her, to hold her in his arms, were almost overwhelming.

"It's not been easy," began Adam. "Mace isn't stupid; he covers his tracks quite well, but we may have found something. It appears, that Oliver Mace has a liking for younger women."

"That's not news Adam; it's common knowledge throughout Six, the JIC and most of Whitehall. The mystery there is why his wife's still with him."

"Yes, but I'm sure it would be news to most people just how young."

Harry looked between Adam and Malcolm, an incredulous look on his face, "What exactly are you saying?"

Malcolm opened the file in his hand and slid a photo of a young girl across Harry's desk, and Harry's suspicions were confirmed.

"Kelly Barnes, 14. She was the perfect teenager; good grades, never got into trouble, nice group of friends."

"Was?"

"In June last year two weeks before her fifteenth birthday, her personality changed," Adam elaborated. "She started becoming distant, staying out late, her grades began to slip, and one day a few months later she told her parents she was pregnant. When asked about the identity of the father, she wouldn't say anything other than he was a 'very powerful man' who would 'sort things out.' He did just that too; less than a week later she was found in a shallow grave in Highgate Wood. She'd been strangled. No one has been convicted of her murder; the police suspect the baby's father, but have no clue as to who it is." Adam slid a photo of the body to Harry.

"That's a terrible tragedy of course," he replied, sliding the photo back to Adam, "but I don't see the connection to Oliver Mace." Adam passed him another photo, a CCTV image of Mace in a hotel lobby, following Kelly into a lift.

"It's not enough. It could just be a coincidence."

And another photo this time a still from a speed camera, showing Mace's car. "This was taken the night of the murder, five minutes from where the body was found." Harry said nothing, prompting Adam to continue. "Why would a man like Oliver Mace be driving himself around Tottenham, speeding, at ten past two in the morning. Surely that sets off alarm bells?"

"Yes Adam it does, in fact knowing Oliver Mace as I do and having been privy to some of the decisions he has made in the past, I am more than willing to believe him capable of this, but it doesn't actually prove anything."

"But won't it be enough to scare him? Allow us to bargain with him about Ruth?"

"As soon as he knows we're onto him, everything will be buried even deeper than it already is. Then we'll have nothing, but he'll know Ruth's still alive. It's too risky, it'll put them in danger." Harry realised too late what he had said.

"Them?" Adam questioned, but Harry did not offer an explanation. "Harry," he pressed, "what do you mean, 'them'?"

Harry sighed, realising that Adam was not going to let this go. "Ruth has a daughter. Sophia. She's nearly three." Harry gave both officers a couple of seconds to digest the revelation but not enough time to comment. "So this has to be watertight; we need conclusive proof. Nothing less will do. Get Jo to talk to this girl's friends, teachers, anyone who might have known what was going on." Adam made towards the door stopping only when his boss called him back, "and be discrete!" Adam left the office in a hurry to find Jo; not to give her the details of her mission, but to find out what she knew about Ruth's daughter. Malcolm made no such move to leave; instead he stood regarding Harry with a curious expression.

"Did you want to say something Malcolm?"

"Ruth's daughter...you say she's nearly three?" Harry nodded resigned; he could see where this conversation was headed. "When exactly?"

"In two weeks; 27th October." After a couple of seconds a small smile appeared on Malcolm's face.

"Congratulations." Harry looked at him questioningly. "Harry, it doesn't take a genius to work out that nine months before October is January," Malcolm explained, "which is around the time you and Ruth went to dinner, is it not?"

"I…erm… Yes it was. You're correct in your suspicions Malcolm; Sophia is mine."

"Is this the reason behind the sudden urge to bring Ruth home?"

"It's hardly sudden," objects Harry. "If I'd known where she was I'd have done it years ago, whether we'd had Sophia or not. I mean, if I'd have had a say in the whole thing, she wouldn't have gone in the first place."

"No, but she'd still be bringing up your child alone, because you'd be in prison," Malcolm reminded gently.

Harry sighed; he knew Malcolm was right, "I can always rely on you to put things in perspective."

Malcolm gave a small smile, before offering his congratulations once again. "I think it's absolutely wonderful," he told his friend with a smile. "You've been given a second chance at fatherhood."

"Let's hope I can do a better job of it than the first time round."

"I'm sure you will; after all, you've got Ruth to help you."

"Can I rely on your discretion Malcolm? I had promised Ruth this would remain a secret for the time being."

"You can, but it won't be long before the Adam works it out," Malcolm pointed out

"No, I suppose not." Harry looked at his watch, "Hells bells. I'm really late. Tell Adam I'll be out a little longer than usual; I have an errand to run."

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><p><strong>AN:** Only short, and not Harry and Ruth, but don't worry – as it's Christmas Day, I shall upload the next one right away.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Here you go…as promised.

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

_Wednesday 21__st__ Oct 2009_

Ruth and Sophia were in the kitchen baking cakes when there was a short sharp knock at the door. She wasn't expecting anyone and fear spread through Ruth's body as several scenarios ran through her mind. Had they been found? Was it the police? Was it 6? Was it Mace? She hadn't heard from Harry in a few weeks; what if he'd been arrested for his knowledge of her whereabouts and had been unable to contact her to warn her? Taking a deep breath, she lifted Sophia from her position on the counter and set her down on the floor.

"Okay, that's enough stirring. Time for a game. Hide and Seek, you like that one don't you?" she told her daughter, trying to keep her voice light and calm. "Right, I'll count and you go and hide. Remember, be very quiet and you can only come out when I find you okay?" Sophia nodded; she loved Hide and Seek. Ruth closed her eyes and began to count. "1, 2…" the sound of Sophia's footfalls decreasing letting Ruth know she had gone to find a hiding place. Another knock sounded, more insistent this time. Ruth picked a carving knife out of the kitchen drawer and moved to answer the door. The glass around the window was frosted so she couldn't make out much detail but she could see a rather bulky figure standing on her step.

"Γεια σας!" _(Hello!)_ came a male voice. "Είναι το σπίτι κανείς εκεί;" _(Is there anyone home?) _Ruth had picked up a basic knowledge of Greek since living on the island and briefly wondered whether a potential assassin would announce himself in such a way. She thought not, but it was best not to take a chance. Her heart was beating hard in her chest as she reached for the door handle and twisted it slowly. She kept the arm holding the knife out of sight as she opened the door and came face to face with a delivery man.

"Γεια σας," (Hello) he greeted, holding out a package to her.

"Μιλάτε Αγγλικά;" (Do you speak English?) she responded in broken Greek.

"A little. You are Susan Pearce?"

"Yes." Taking the package she could see it was clearly addressed to her though she didn't recognise the handwriting.

"Sign please," instructed the delivery man, brandishing a clipboard. She took the pen, but made no move to take the clip board. She wouldn't have been able to hold it with the knife in her hand. It all seemed innocent enough, but she wasn't taking the risk. She signed rather awkwardly as the delivery man held the clipboard for her, before wishing him a good day and closing the door. Leaning against it, she listened intently and breathed an audible sigh of relief when she heard him retreat, the van door close and the vehicle drive away. Just in case, she rushed to the living room and peeked through the window. Nothing. She placed the parcel down on the coffee table and went to find Sophia.

"Ready or not, here I come!" she called, searching the house. She wasn't difficult to find, especially as she let out a giggle every time Ruth shouted, "Where are you?" She was hiding in the bottom of Ruth's wardrobe and squealed with delight when Ruth swung open the doors to discover her.

"You found me!" she cheered, jumping up into her Mum's arms. Ruth embraced her daughter tightly, relieved that she was safe. Sophia seemed to sense something was wrong and pulled back to look at her mother. Noticing the tears, she wore an expression of concern. "You sad Mummy?"

Ruth couldn't prevent a sob escaping her. "I'm okay. I just thought I wasn't going to be able to find you! Thought I'd lost you."

Sophia regarded her curiously before declaring, "Silly Mummy!" causing Ruth to laugh. "Can we carry on baking now?" she asked, completely unaware of the potential drama that had just occurred.

"Of course we can darling, come on!"

* * *

><p>The two had become so engrossed in their baking and subsequent cleaning up (after Sophia had knocked over a nearly full bag of flour) that Ruth forgot about the parcel until the early evening when Sophia enquired about it.<p>

"What's this Mummy?" she asked, poking it with her right index finger.

"I don't know. It was delivered earlier."

"Who's it from? Who's it from?" Sophia was jumping up and down excitedly.

"I don't know."

"Let's open it!" Sophia urged, ripping at the paper. Before Ruth even had the chance to protest, Sophia had got the parcel open and was beaming at the contents. "A Gruffalo book!" she exclaimed, holding it up for her mother to see before continuing to investigate the parcel, pulling things out. "A Gruffalo!" she grinned as she pulled out a soft toy replica of her favourite character, "and a book for Mummy." Sophia handed Ruth the paperback, which she instantly recognised as a copy of 'Persuasion'. Tucked inside the front cover was an envelope adorned with Harry's familiar scrawl. Inside was a handwritten letter,

_Dearest Susan, _

_I hope this letter find you both happy and well. I must apologise for my lack of contact over the past two weeks, work has been hectic to say the least and I'm afraid I can't promise that my correspondence will get any less sporadic over the coming weeks either. However, despite my busy schedule, I couldn't let the auspicious occasion of Sophia's 3__rd__ birthday pass without any contact. I hope the gifts I have chosen are appropriate, for it has been a long while since I have had to but presents for a young child without guidance. Although I will admit that the information provided in your last e-mail helped a little. I am aware that they might arrive a little early, so I shall leave it to your discretion as to whether or not to withhold them until her actual birthday._

_You're probably wondering why I have included a gift for you, when it's Sophia's special day. Well, I was in the book shop looking for Sophia's presents when I saw that book on the shelf and I recalled that it had been a particular favourite of yours. It kept you company on lonely bus journeys if I remember correctly. I know you've probably already replaced your old copy, but I wanted to buy you something and it seemed appropriate. Call it a reward for all the hard work you've put in with Sophia; it can't have been easy being on your own; away from family and friends. _

_Although, if everything here goes to plan you may not have to worry about that for much longer. Things are shifting here; there is movement within the upper echelons. I am hopeful that this reshuffle will finally allow mistakes of the past to be rectified; the biggest being the situation you have found yourself in for the past 3 and a half years. Much to my displeasure, I cannot give you any more information; not even a time-scale for these 'negotiations', but I shall be in touch as soon as I know more. Of course, in this life, there can be no guarantees; a fact of which I believe we are both acutely aware, but rest assured I am nothing if not determined in this matter._

_Our mutual friends also send their greetings. Which brings me to my confession; I have not been able to keep Sophia's existence from them as we had hoped; a slip of the tongue on my part I'm afraid. They are, as one would expect friends to be, very happy about it. I am aware that there have been murmurings and whisperings about the identity of Sophia's father, but only one has voiced his suspicions to me. He thinks it's, and this is a direct quote, 'absolutely wonderful'. I hope you do not think too badly of me for being indiscrete. _

As always, with _affection,_

_James_ x

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><p><strong>AN:** Hope that was okay. For those of you anxiously waiting for a Harry and Ruth reunion, well I am happy to tell you it's coming up soon. So watch this space.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **We're making a bit of a time jump here…basically because I've been bitten by the festive bug! I hope that's agreeable to you all. It's only a short chapter too, but worth it I hope.

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

_Friday 25__th__ Dec 2009 12:40am_

Ruth sighed as she lifted a sleeping Sophia from the back of the car. As was tradition in this small village they inhabited, they had been to midnight mass at the local church. Ruth was far from being a Christian; in fact she considered herself and atheist, but there was something about keeping a Christmas tradition that had started with her and her father when she was just a child. She hoisted the little girl onto her hip and shut the car door with her foot, checking that the noise hadn't woken her daughter. As she walked down the path to the house, Ruth stifled a yawn. It had been a long day; Sophia's excitement growing steadily by the hour and it wasn't over yet; Ruth still had some presents to wrap for her daughter.

That was one of the local traditions that she didn't participate in; usually the children in Cyprus didn't get their presents until the 1st January on the feast of Ayios Vasilis, the Greek Santa Claus but Ruth felt that she should keep some of the traditions from Sophia's English heritage and so still gave her presents on Christmas Day. It wasn't so much of a problem as Sophia wasn't of an age to realise that what happened to her, was any different to any other children, but Ruth knew in a few years she would begin to question it. If they were still here then, Ruth would explain that because she is English, Father Christmas makes a detour to ensure she gets her presents at the same time as other English children.

She hoped she would never have need to explain; that they wouldn't be here next Christmas. In fact if she was honest, she'd hoped they wouldn't have been here this Christmas either but unfortunately things hadn't turned out that way. Recent communication with Harry has been sporadic; in the two months that had passed since Sophia's birthday, there had been two emails, totalling precisely twenty four words. The first, received the third weekend in November had read, _"Susan, forgive me. I am no further on than I was when we last spoke but I'm trying. James"_ and the second, which had arrived just a week ago simply said, _"Still no news I'm afraid." _That was another reason she'd not wrapped Sophia's bigger presents, wanting to wait to find out if maybe Harry's name would go on the tags too; to know if this Christmas Sophia was going to wake up to presents from 'Mummy and Daddy', rather than just 'Mummy', but it didn't look that way.

Ruth was finding the lack of communication difficult; it was torture to go from those longer letters and emails to barely no contact, even though they'd not spoken for years previously. Sophia wasn't enjoying it either; she longed to hear from her Daddy. On her part, Rut sent regular e-mails to Harry telling him of Sophia's exploits; her achievements and funny things she had said or done, but she never knew if he received them. Just when there finally seemed to be some hope of a reunion, it had been dashed again. One blessing was that she didn't need to be worried about Harry safety; a quick email to Jo had confirmed that he was still alive and working to find a way for them to have uninhibited contact.

Ruth arrived at the door and began searching in her handbag for her keys; not an easy feat considering she was also carrying a three year old plus a basket of muffins from one of the older ladies in the village and a bag containing a couple of little gifts that had been given to her after the service for Sophia. After a few minutes of struggling, she pulled the keys triumphantly from her bag and inserted them into the lock. She turned the key once, hearing the lock click as it released, but when she attempted to turn it a second time to release the double lock it wouldn't go; it was already completely unlocked. Ruth racked her brain; she had definitely double locked the door on her way out that evening; she knew she had because she always did. She pushed the door open slowly, silently cursing it's squeaking hinges, and stepped over the threshold. She could sense the presence of a stranger in the house and began backing towards the door. She stopped however, when her ears picked up strains of music coming from her living room. She stood still; she recognised that music. It was the music that had been playing nearly four years ago when Harry had taken her out to dinner; their one and only date. The night that had ended with them in bed together and the conception of the child now sleeping in her arms. It couldn't be could it? Could he really be here? Instinctively, she wrapped her arms tighter around her daughter as she crept slowly in the direction of the music. She was terrified that she'd jumped to the wrong conclusion; that he wouldn't really be there and that her world would come crashing down again in disappointment, but as she stepped into the living room her fears were allayed and replaced by nerves stronger than she had ever known.

He was there; sat on her sofa, his fingers tapping out the rhythm of the music. Next to him on the floor sat a very large bag of Christmas presents; it looked like Sophia would get presents from both of them this year after all. Harry rose when he saw her, looking lovingly at her and Sophia who was oblivious to it all, before taking one step towards her and uttering three little words, "Merry Christmas Ruth."

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><p><strong>AN:** *ducks flying objects hurledin this direction* Please don't hate me for ending it there!I'm sorry. I also know that those three little word probably weren't the ones you were hoping for, but at least Harry and Ruth are in the same place now. And it's Christmas, so I'm sure we'll get to that eventually.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N1: **Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. They really mean a lot an encourage me to write faster as I hate keeping you guys waiting. I can't promise how quickly I will be updating in the next couple of days, as unfortunately I will have to do some work before returning to school next week. But I promise I will try and be as quick as possible.

**A/N2:** I have tried to reply to every review but the website seems to have lost a few of them. I get them by email, but when I try to click reply I get a message saying "_We cannot find the review you are replying to" _and they don't seem to be on the review page either. So apologies if you haven't received a reply; I did try.

**A/N3:** I actually found this chapter very difficult; for some reason it seems easier to write Harry and Ruth when they're apart. Hope it's okay.

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

_Friday 25__th__ Dec 2009 12:47am_

Ruth stood rooted to the spot, her mouth gaping open. He was really here, in her living room. On Christmas Day.

"Ruth, are you okay?"

Harry's voice jolted her from her trance. "I…what are you doing here?" she managed.

"I thought it was about time I met my daughter," he told her, stepping towards her.

Ruth looked down at the sleeping child in her arms then straight back at Harry, "Would you mind waiting until the morning?" she asked nervously. "If I wake her now-"

"That's fine," Harry cut in, understanding completely. "I've waited three years; I'm sure another few hours won't hurt."

Ruth smiled sadly, "I'm s-"

"Don't you dare say you're sorry. You have nothing to apologise for. Do you understand me? Nothing!" Harry's tone was firm but kind. Ruth nodded at him, still unable to completely to forgive herself for keeping Sophia a secret from Harry, but glad that he didn't seem to blame her. "Come on; let's put our daughter to bed." That comment elicited a smile from Ruth and she shifted Sophia slightly so she could unbutton her coat. She had taken her to Midnight Mass in her pyjamas knowing that she was likely to fall asleep on the way home. Harry slid the coat gently off her sleeping frame and deposited it on the sofa, before moving to lift his daughter from her mother's arms. "May I?" he asked.

"Of course," Ruth replied, allowing Harry to take Sophia from her. He held his daughter with practiced ease, and she settled into her father's embrace without waking; her arms falling lovingly around his neck. Ruth shed her coat and then led Harry up the stairs towards Sophia's bedroom. "Just in here," she instructed, opening a door and stepping inside. She turned back the pale pink covers on the single bed that stood on the far side of the room before Harry lay Sophia down on the mattress and pulled the duvet back over her, tucking her in.

Ruth watched in awe as Harry gently stroked Sophia's hair from her face and looked down lovingly at his daughter. Deciding to give him some time alone with her, Ruth backed silently out of the room. She busied herself downstairs, hanging up hers and Sophia's coats, tidying a little and digging out some wine from the back of the cupboard. She was just uncorking the bottle when Harry appeared in the doorway. Approaching her from behind, he took the bottle from her and placed it on the counter. She turned to face him and he placed his hands either side of her, leaning on them slightly.

"Thank you," he whispered, bending and placing a chaste kiss to her cheek. Ruth looked up at him as he pulled back, a question in her eyes. "For Sophia. She's beautiful," he gushed.

"You're very welcome." Ruth could feel the tension building between them as, as much as she wanted to reach up and kiss him with all the passion she could muster, she resisted; needing to know exactly what he wanted and what their situation was. So, in a conversation shift to rival Harry's on that rooftop nearly four years ago, she declared, "I've still got presents to wrap for Sophia. Do you fancy putting your fatherly skills of gift-wrapping to the test?" Harry nodded, trying to hide his disappointment at Ruth breaking the moment between them. Ruth however, noticed it and instantly felt guilty. "Harry…" she began, but he held up a hand to silence her.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"But it's not fine, Harry!" she countered. "I mean, I can tell you're disappointed." Harry blushed, had he really been that obvious?

"I…"

Ruth put a hand on his arm, "It's not that I don't want to Harry, I do, but…you've not even told me how you came to be here. I think we need to talk before we…do anything else.

Harry nodded, feeling a little more at ease at the thought that Ruth might not be averse to taking their relationship further at some point. She was right of course; this time they needed to do things properly; there wasn't just themselves to think about anymore, there was Sophia as well. "I think you're right," he agreed, giving Ruth a small smile to show he understood. "We can talk as we wrap." With that he picked up the wine and glasses from the counter and made his way into the living room.

* * *

><p>They wrapped Sophia's presents, drank wine and talked, and Ruth revelled in the simplicity and domesticity of the situation. She had wished for a moment like this for three years and couldn't quite believe it was happening. She watched as Harry struggled to attach a rather large pink bow to the handlebars of the bike she had bought Sophia for Christmas and couldn't suppress a giggle.<p>

"Something funny Miss Evershed?"

"Just thinking about what Adam and Zaf would say if they could see the great Sir Harry Pearce beaten by a bright pink bow."

"I have not been beaten," he insisted.

"No, no, of course not," she humoured, but got up to help anyway. Working together, they had the bow fastened in a matter of moments and, having finally finished the wrapping they relaxed on the sofa.

Ruth glanced at the clock on the fireplace. "Harry it's nearly half one, Sophia will be awake in less than 5 hours, and you've yet to tell me how it is that you're here."

"It's completely safe, don't worry. I'd never put either of you in danger."

"I know that," she assured. "But I want to know; I think I deserve that."

Harry put his wine glass on the coffee table and reclined into the sofa and placed his arm along the back. He hadn't meant it as a blatant invitation but he certainly didn't complain when Ruth tucked her feet underneath her and leant into his side. He dropped his arm to her shoulders and wrapped it round her, anchoring her to him. He took a few moments to enjoy the feeling of Ruth nestled next to him before beginning his story. "Mace has been dealt with," he began.

Fear suddenly gripped Ruth, remembering how Harry had once attacked Mace in his club; what had he done? "Dealt with how?" she asked.

Harry seemed to sense her thoughts, "Nothing like that," he assured her with a low chuckle. "Unfortunately, that opportunity never presented itself."

"Well I'm glad about that. Wouldn't have been much good, you rotting away in a jail cell."

"No, I suppose not," he conceded.

"So what happened?"

"Adam and Malcolm found a connection between Mace and a murdered teenager."

Ruth furrowed her eyebrows, "What kind of connection?" Harry didn't particularly want to elaborate; he found the truth quite difficult to digest, but Ruth wasn't about to let the matter drop. "Harry?"

"He'd been sleeping with her," Harry said quietly. He felt Ruth stiffen beside him, but knew he would have to tell her the whole story. "She became pregnant; much to Mace's displeasure it would seem. He strangled her."

"That's awful. Has he been arrested?"

"Yes, after a rather public exposure. It would appear Section D had a security leak; one of the tabloids somehow got hold of the evidence. No idea how that happened," he commented with a wry smile.

"Harry Pearce! You didn't?"

"Personally, I think I was quite restrained," Harry admitted, tensing at the thoughts of Oliver Mace. Ruth placed her hand on his chest and it instantly calmed him.

"What happens now?" she asked as she absentmindedly played with the buttons on his shirt.

"Mace will go to prison for a long time, as will his associates who helped him cover up her murder. Incidentally, they're the same people who helped him set you up."

"So it's over?"

"It's over. All the evidence implicating anyone from Five has been destroyed. You're safe. You're free." Harry felt Ruth sigh happily against him and finally begin to relax. The silence that fell over them was entirely comfortable, both happy just to enjoy each other's presence; no words were needed. It was only when Ruth's fingers ceased playing with his shirt buttons did he realise she had fallen asleep. Placing a kiss on her head, he shut his eyes too and soon followed Ruth into a blissful sleep; the first peaceful sleep either of them had had in four years.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Friday 25__th__ Dec 2009 06:25_

Ruth was woken by the sound of footsteps running down the stairs and a very excited shout of, "It's Christmas!" from Sophia as she entered the living room. "A bike!" she squealed, noticing it stood next to the tree. Having examined the bike, the little girl ran up to her mother and jumped on her as she sat up. Ruth returned her daughter's enthusiastic hug as she scanned the room for Harry. For a fleeting moment she thought she had dreamt the whole thing but then she noticed the bag of presents he'd brought sat under the tree; it had been real. She finally spotted him standing in the doorway to the kitchen. He'd got changed; he was now wearing an olive green jumper and dark jeans and he looked very much at home as he leant against the doorframe. He watched her and Sophia with great interest; seeing her as a mother for the first time. She flashed him a smile and Harry thought that seeing the two of them interacting with one another was the most beautiful site he'd ever seen.

"Merry Christmas Mummy!" Sophia beamed.

Ruth returned the sentiment with a squeeze and a kiss, "Merry Christmas sweetheart."

"Can I open my presents now?" she begged, looking longingly at the beautiful array of coloured packages that had miraculously taken up residence under their tree during the night.

"You certainly can honey, but there's a special one you need to have first." Sophia bounced excitedly on Ruth's knee at the thought of what this very special present could be.

"Which one? Where is it?" she asked eagerly, scanning the packages.

"Over there," Ruth whispered, pointing towards the kitchen. Sophia turned around and her eyes went wide in awe as she saw who was standing where she expected there to be a big box. Ruth placed her down on the floor and whispered, "You know who that is, don't you Soph?"

"Daddy!" the little girl beamed brightly and ran towards him. Harry was mesmerised as his daughter ran towards him, but managed to recover quickly enough to bend down to meet her. She wrapped her little arms around Harry's neck and he hugged her too him as if his life would end should he let her go. Ignoring a stab of pain in his back as he stood, the result of his night on the sofa with Ruth, he carried her back to Ruth who, he noted, had a tear running down her face. He sat down next to her, positioning the little girl on his lap. Sophia pulled back to look at her father. "Did Father Christmas bring you?" she asked.

"He did. He thought it was about time you and I got to spend some time together."

"Can we go to the zoo?" Going to the zoo with her Daddy had been one of Sophia's dreams for a long time and formed the basis for a lot of the drawings she did of her and Harry.

Ruth chuckled, "Not today, sweetheart; it's closed."

Sophia turned to Harry, "Tomorrow then. You will take me, won't you Daddy?"

"I'm not sure it will be open tomorrow either, but as soon as it is, I promise I will take you."

"And Mummy?"

"Of course," he nodded, before turning to Ruth, "if it's not too presumptuous of me?"

She accepted his invitation with a smile, "I'd love to come."

Harry reached over and squeezed her hand gently before turning his attention back to their daughter. "Now then Sophia, I believe there are some presents under the tree waiting to be opened?"

With the shock of meeting her Dad for the first time, Sophia had momentarily forgotten that there were other presents for her. She jumped down from Harry's knee and headed straight towards the pile of gifts under the tree.

* * *

><p>The floor of the living room was soon covered in tonnes of wrapping paper and ribbon, and a sizeable pile of toys, clothes and other gifts was forming in the middle of it all. As Sophia placed another toy onto the ever-growing pile, Harry again reached into the bag he had brought and handed a final present to her.<p>

"More presents?" the little girl asked wide eyed.

"This is the last one. It's from Catherine," he told her nervously, unsure of how much Ruth had told her about her extended family.

"My sister?" she checked, looking at her Mum for confirmation. Ruth nodded, unable to speak. She had wondered if Harry would have spoken to Catherine about Sophia, so to find out that not only had he told her, but that she had accepted the news enough to send her little sister a gift made her slightly emotional. Sophia tore into the wrapping paper to reveal a deep red velvet dress.

"Mummy, look!" she exclaimed with joy, holding it up.

"It's beautiful," Ruth concurred.

"Catherine can't wait to meet you," Harry told her. "She's very excited."

"Could she not come with you?"

"Not this time," Harry replied. "She had to be somewhere else today." Ruth could tell by the tone of his voice that he was disappointed that she couldn't be here and it didn't take a genius to work out that she had probably elected to spend the day with Jane and Graham.

"I'm sure you'll see her soon," decreed Ruth, unsure who she was trying to placate more; Harry or Sophia.

"Yes, you will," agreed Harry, reaching into the bag for another gift. This one was small and paper thin. Harry handed it to Ruth, "Merry Christmas."

She took it hesitantly. "But Harry, I haven't got anything for you."

"Being able to spend Christmas with you and Sophia is enough of a present for me; the best present I could ever have hoped to receive. Now go on, open it."

Ruth removed the paper gently, to discover an envelope inside, which she hurried to open; excitement getting the better of her. "Harry I…what does this mean?" she gasped as she looked at the contents; a British passport and driving license in her old name

"It means you can have your life back…if you want it, that is? I was going to tell you last night, but you fell asleep before I had chance."

"I…" Ruth was speechless.

"What is it Mummy?"

"It's a second chance honey," Ruth replied. Sophia, being far too young to understand any of what was taking place, just looked from her mother to her father and then to the present he had given her and with a look of confusion, turned her attention to her new toys.

"I'm not expecting anything from you," Harry explained. "If you want to carry on as you have since you left, that's up to you; I just wanted you to have the choice."

Ruth flung her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. "Thank you Harry! To have the option to return is just… I can only imagine what you had to do to get his."

"The new Home Secretary was very accommodating," Harry remarked cryptically.

"Please tell me you didn't have to threaten a coup."

"It didn't come to that, but I would have done."

"No, I'm not worth that," she protested.

"No, you are worth so much more!" he countered, leaning forward so their noses were practically touching. His intentions were clear.

"Harry…there's so much to do; we've got to tidy up, there's dinner to prepare. I mean, Sophia's not even had breakfast for Heaven's sake. She must be starving." Ruth knew she was babbling; she always did when she was nervous and being in close proximity to Harry often made her nervous.

Harry chuckled, "I think she'll be fine," he assured her, indicating their daughter sat in the middle of a pile of wrapping paper, tearing into a selection box.

"She can't have chocolate for breakfast Harry! It's-" she protested, but Harry cut her off with a chaste kiss to her lips. He moved back slightly, looking into her eyes to check if his actions were truly okay and, upon finding the reassurance that he needed, touched his lips to hers once again. This time he didn't pull away; he let himself be taken over by the moment and so, it seemed, did Ruth. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, as his hands settled on her waist. As their kiss deepened, Ruth allowed her fingers to stray through his hair. They stayed like that; engrossed in the kiss, and each other, for a few minutes before Sophia interrupted them; tapping her father's knee insistently. Reluctantly Harry broke away from Ruth, and turned to his daughter.

"Come outside with me Daddy. I want to play on my bike," she ordered, causing Harry to raise an eyebrow and Ruth to blush at her daughter's behaviour.

"Sophia!" she chastised. "Just because it's Christmas, doesn't mean that we can forget our manners."

"Sorry Mummy. Sorry Daddy," apologised Sophia, before repeating her statement in a more polite way. "Daddy, will you please come outside with me so I can play on my bike?"

"I would love too," Harry told her, standing up.

"Go and get dressed then," Ruth instructed, "you can't go outside in your pyjamas." Sophia didn't need telling twice; she ran out of the room quicker than Ruth had ever seen her move before. "I'm sorry Harry; she's not normally so rude! I have taught her to be polite and-" Harry cut off her babbling with another, sweet kiss.

"I don't doubt it," he assured her, pulling back. "She's just excited; Catherine and Graham were the same when they were little. It's not a reflection on your parenting skills Ruth." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and enticed her into a few more kisses before Sophia returned, her jumper on backwards, announcing that she was ready and practically dragging Harry out of the door.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N 1: **Here's an interesting observation. The majority of reviewers seem to have assumed that Ruth is going to go back to London with Harry, despite the fact that she never actually said that. I know she seemed happy about the chance, but what she actually said was, "To have the option to return is just…" she didn't definitively say she would. Just an observation. And now that I've panicked you with that little piece of information, I present the next chapter (which will answer the question of what will Ruth do, within the first three paragraphs!)

**A/N 2: **Might be pushing the boundaries of the rating with this one. Hope it's okay.

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><p><strong>Chapter 13 <strong>

Shortly after a traditional English Christmas dinner, Sophia fell asleep on Harry's knee as he was reading to her. After putting her in bed, he returned to the living room to find Ruth pouring them both a glass of wine.

"You really have done a wonderful job with her, in a less than ideal situation," he told her, as she handed him a glass of wine. "It can't have been easy."

"At times it wasn't," Ruth acquiesced, taking a sip of her drink, "but it'll be easier now. With us returning to London."

Harry's eyes widened at her words, "You're going to come home?"

"How can I not? Sophia needs you. I can't keep the two of you apart; it's not fair on either of you."

Harry took a seat next to her on the sofa. Staring into his wine glass, he asked, "Is that the only reason you're coming back?" His voice was steady but his eyes betrayed his nervousness. "What about…us?"

"I, erm…didn't want to assume anything."

"I think you're well within your rights to assume everything, given that I've travelled nearly 2000 miles to spend Christmas with you. If that wasn't enough, I thought the kisses would have given you a hint."

"But it will be different in London; there's work, our families, our friends. You might-"

Harry put his glass down on the table, before relieving Ruth of hers and doing the same with it. He turned back to her and took her hands in his. "I want you Ruth. We could be here, in London or in Timbuktu; that won't change. This isn't just a passing fling for me. It never was. I think it's about time the 'something wonderful, never said,' was finally spoken. I love you."

Ruth gasped at his declaration; she had been pretty sure that had been what he was going to say to her on that dockside all those years ago, but to actually hear it from his lips left her dumbstruck.

Harry knew that he was probably going out on a limb with his next words and that they could spook her, but after spending three years apart he wasn't going to let any chances pass him by. "And as you are returning to London, I would like you to consider coming to live with me." Ruth couldn't speak; too overcome with emotion, which Harry took as a bad sign and he began backtracking slightly. "There's no obligation of course. You could have your own room. I just thought that with Sophia, it would be-"

Realising she hadn't said anything to either of Harry's statements of intent but still not being able to find the words to express how she felt she leant in and pressed her lips to his, capturing them in a sweet kiss. "We would love to live with you," she assured him as she pulled away. They'd wasted enough time; now it was time for them to be together. "And I'd like to share your room, if that's alright?"

"That's more than alright Ruth." He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her again. A passionate kiss this time, filled with years of longing. His lips were soft and warm as they nuzzled over hers, nipping and tugging at her bottom lip trying to tease her into opening her mouth for his full assault. His tongue brushed against her lips and she was gone. She opened up to him on a soft moan and felt the wet slide of his tongue as it slipped into her mouth to run over her teeth. Her hands ran over his chest and shoulders until they reached his neck. From there she ran them up into his hair and pulled him down further toward her to deepen the kiss. He shifted them then so she was reclining along the length of the sofa, moving to cover her body with his warm weight. She spread her legs slightly to accommodate his body, cradling his pelvis in between her thighs. They continued their explorations of each other's mouths for several minutes, hands beginning to roam to areas not touched by another in so long, and Ruth could feel Harry's growing arousal pressing against her. She pulled away from the kiss and took air into her oxygen starved lungs. Her lips trembled from the force of their kisses and her body shook from the fire that was threatening to consume her. Harry lay atop her quivering body, his weight being comfortably taken on his forearms so as not to crush her, his own ragged breath coming out in small puffs that stirred her hair. She pushed gently on his chest, and he moved off, letting out a small groan.

She stood quickly, not wanting him to think he had made the wrong move, and held her hand out to him. "Come to bed Harry; I don't want to grope on the sofa like two teenagers."

Harry chuckled, "I'm hardly a teenager."

"And aren't I glad about that; I'm relying on you having rather a lot more stamina than a sixteen year old." Ruth blushed as the words left her mouth.

"Oh really?" Harry responded with a twinkle in his eye, "What exactly have you got in mind?"

Swallowing down her embarrassment (it was past the point for that, she realised), Ruth leant over him, at an angle that she was sure would give him an ample view down her shirt, and whispered seductively, "Follow me and you'll find out."

He stood and took her hand, allowing her to lead him up the stairs. They were halfway to her room when Harry suddenly stopped. "What about Sophia?" he asked. He really didn't want them being discovered by a three year old; that could lead to all kinds of awkward questions.

"She'll sleep right through the night," Ruth assured him. "She was absolutely shattered; it's been a busy day. And don't worry, these walls are made from stone; practically sound proof."

"If I remember correctly, that will be useful," Harry teased, enjoying the way the blush crept up Ruth's face at his memories of their night together.

"Your memory must be playing tricks on you; maybe it's your age," she bantered as they came to a halt outside her room.

"Oh I don't think so Ruth." Harry pressed her up against the door. "Do you know how many times over the past four years I have replayed that night in my head?"

Ruth shook her head in the negative. "Tell me?"

He moved his mouth to her ear; so close that she could feel his breath dance over her skin. "No. Not now, not when I have the opportunity to recreate the entire thing in person." His wandering hands found the buttons on her shirt and he deftly unfastened the first two.

Suddenly and inexplicably, Ruth's became self-conscious; she wasn't as thin and trimmed as she used to be; she hadn't regained her pre-pregnancy figure even three years later. "I'm afraid that, after Sophia, my body isn't quite what it was," she admitted.

Harry stood back and looked at her. True, her figure had changed, softened by her maternity but he didn't view it as a bad thing. "Nonsense," he dismissed. "You're still as breath-taking as you were then. Possibly even more so." He kissed her again whilst his hands continued undoing the rest of her shirt. Pushing the material apart, his gaze fell onto her chest; her breasts encased in a red lace bra. "Mmmm. Very festive," he murmured appreciatively, as his eyes travelled further down her body, over the slight swell of her stomach and down past her skirt to her smooth, tanned legs. Ruth blushed under his scrutiny, a flush covering her décolletage. "Dear God Ruth, you're gorgeous," he declared. "Promise you won't regret this in the morning," he asked.

"No regrets Harry. Not this time," she assured.

That was all the reassurance Harry needed. He pushed open the door and dragged her inside, before proceeding to show her just how gorgeous he thought she was.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Happy New Year to all my readers. Thank you so much for your reviews, alerts and favourites. There is still more of this fic to come, I just can't promise how frequently it will be updated.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N1: **For those of you who haven't seen, there is now an M-rated companion piece to this story, set straight after the last chapter. It's called 'Reacquainting Themselves' and can easily be found from my profile.

**A/N2: **Wasn't expecting to write this chapter, I'd assumed I'd go straight into what has now become Chapter 15, but my muse arrived with this instead. Enjoy.

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

_Monday28th Dec 2009. __Limassol Municipal Zoo, Cyprus_

Ruth stood watching Harry as he lifted Sophia onto his shoulders and made his way back to her. There were other things she could be doing, things that needed to be done, but right now there was no where she would rather be.

The past few days had been for the three of them, but Ruth couldn't help but smile as she thought about them.

* * *

><p><em>Having made the decision to return to England, Ruth wanted to leave almost immediately, so Harry had called in some favours with someone he knew at the airline and booked them on flights out of Cyprus on the 29<em>_th__ December. Since then Ruth had been rushing around making arrangements and packing, giving Harry ample time to spend bonding with Sophia. His task was to keep her occupied so Ruth could get on with as few distractions as possible. He had done the simple things that a father should do, and had revelled in each and every one of them; he'd taught her how to pedal her new bike, pushed her on the swings, read to her, splashed around in the pool with her, bathed her and cuddled her. _

_On Sunday afternoon, Ruth had even found him sat at the little table in Sophia's bedroom, surrounded by dolls and teddies being served pretend tea in a small pink cup. Ruth resisted the urge to laugh, especially when he glanced up at the door and spotted her standing there, a mortified expression on his face. _

"_If knowledge of this leaves this room…" he had started, but was cut off by Sophia urging him to drink his 'tea', to which he, albeit reluctantly, obliged. _

_Ruth had smirked. "Don't worry Harry; my lips are sealed." She'd punctuated the statement with a gesture of zipping her lips together before continuing down the hall to continue with her tasks. _

_That night, as she and Harry lay together in her bed, he had turned to her and asked, "Have you got much more to do, to prepare for London?"_

"_A few bits, but not too much. Why?" she had replied, placing her hand on his bare chest, loving the ease with which their new found intimacy had come to them._

"_I thought we could maybe take Sophia to the zoo, tomorrow."_

"_Harry-"_

" _We did promise her," he had reminded._

"_I know," she'd replies with a small sigh, "but we can take her to London Zoo when we're settled back in Britain."_

"_Ruth, I don't know what my schedule is going to be like when we return. She wants this so much; I don't want to disappoint her," he'd admitted. Ruth had looked up at him and found him disturbed by the possibility of letting his daughter down. He was still haunted by missing so much of Catherine's and Graham's childhoods and didn't want his relationship with Sophia to be that way; that all she would come to associate with her Father would be broken promises and empty gestures. "I'll try to be there for her, I will. But I know from past experiences how best laid plans can be derailed by my work. I want to do this now, when there are no distractions." Ruth had nodded, understanding his need to do this for his daughter. _

"_Okay. It will take us about an hour and a half to drive there. I need to call at work and spin the story that I need to leave for Britain for a family emergency so we could go after I've been there."_

"_Perfect," Harry had agreed, before pulling Ruth closer to him and kissing her passionately._

* * *

><p>That was how Ruth found herself stood in Limassol Municipal Zoo, when she should really have been double checking that she'd packed everything they would need for London. Ruth watched Harry and Sophia approach and noticed her daughter was holding something in her hands. As they got closer she discovered it was a stuffed koala bear, purchased from the zoo's gift shop.<p>

"You're spoiling her," Ruth admonished after Harry put Sophia down, allowing her to run off into the playground.

"I'm merely making up for lost time."

"I understand that, but she has to learn that she can't have everything she wants Harry," Ruth reminded him gently.

"Sorry. I suppose I'm getting a bit carried away aren't I?"

"Just a little bit," she agreed, smiling as she watched her daughter glide down the slide.

"I'll try and reign myself in," he promised. "This may surprise you, given my role at work, but I was never any good at the stricter side of parenting; Jane did most of that; I simply wasn't there. When I was I spent the majority of the time giving into them for fear of upsetting them if I didn't. By the time they were teenagers and I tried to become a disciplinarian, they didn't take it very well and any attempt to do so on my part usually dissolved into full scale arguments."

"As it does with most teenagers," she replied, trying to sooth him. "I seem to remember having a few of those with my mother and stepfather."

"I don't want to make the same mistakes again, Ruth, but the truth is, I might not notice if I am doing. I'm afraid I might need you to point it out to me."

"Well that should be easy enough; I've had no trouble challenging you when you've been wrong in the past," she reminded, causing him to laugh.

"No, I don't suppose you have."

"You're a great father Harry; you've just got to give yourself time to settle into the role; it's all new at the moment, but Sophia already idolises you; you've no need to fear her hating you if you say no to buying her something. She'll get over it. It won't exactly be a new experience for her."

"I've not asked about your financial situation before now because I wasn't sure you'd appreciate me prying, but I need to know, have you struggled?"

"We've not struggled, but sometimes things have been tight," she replied honestly. "Zaf sorted me out with a substantial sum of money when I left, but it was only meant to support me, not a child as well. And with not being able to work for a few months…"

He took her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing it lightly. "I wish I'd known Ruth. I'd have sorted something out for you."

"There was nothing that could be done. I had no way of being able to contact you without possibly bringing danger to my doorstep; I couldn't risk it. We were hardly on the breadline Harry; we managed. Sophia never went without the essentials; food, clothes, heat, but occasionally I had to forgo a new top or a bottle of wine. It wasn't much of hardship though, to see her happy and healthy."

"You won't want for anything ever again Ruth, do you hear me?"

"Harry I-"

"Do you hear me?" His voice had taken on the tone he used when dealing with his junior officers, "If you want something, whether it's a new dress or the complete works of some Islamic scholar I've never heard of, you only have to ask."

Ruth was about to protest; to tell him not to promise such things, when Sophia came running back to them. Harry was glad of the distraction. He knew Ruth would more than likely find another moment to debate with him about his last statement, but for now he just wanted to enjoy the rest of their day out.

"Can I have an ice-cream?" Sophia asked, looking at her mother.

Ruth looked at her watch. "Not right now, it's too close to tea time."

Sophia turned to her father and put on her cutest face, complete with what Harry would call, 'puppy dog eyes'; it was the way Scarlet looked at him when he was eating steak. "Daaaaaddy-" she began but Harry cut her off; this was as good a time as any to test the waters of this new role as a disciplinarian.

"No Sophia. Your Mummy has already said no. You won't get a different answer from me."

Sophia regarded him for a moment. This was the first time her Daddy had said no to her since she'd met him. She considered her options; she could cry and scream but she knew her Mummy wouldn't be happy with her for that. She'd would just take her home and she wouldn't get to see the rest of the animals. So, resigning herself to the fact that she couldn't have an ice-cream, she shrugged her shoulders and asked, "Can we go and see the lions? Pleeeease!"

"Now that we can do," Harry replied and, taking both Sophia's and Ruth's hands in his, he led his family towards the lion enclosure.

* * *

><p><strong>AN3:** Hope you liked that little snippet of their day out. Next chapter: Harry, Ruth and Sophia return to London in time for New Years Eve. I have a reasonable idea of where this fic is headed now and I suspect another 3, possibly 4 chapters until the end.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **So we've done Christmas…now for New Year. In London. Enjoy. Unbeta'd so apologies for any errors.

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><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

_Thursday 31__st__ Dec 2009 18:45. Harry's house, London._

"What time is it?" Ruth yelled from the bedroom in a mild panic.

"Quarter to; you've got plenty of time. Calm down."

"Fifteen minutes is not 'plenty of time', Harry," Ruth called back, "I can't decide what to wear!"

That sounded so classically female. He had no idea Ruth could do the whole 'closet-full-of-clothes-but-not-a-thing-to-wear' thing. He chuckled.

"It's not funny!" she protested. "Please tell me Sophia is ready?"

Harry watched his daughter twirling around the kitchen and into the living room. She was wearing the red dress she'd gotten for Christmas and carrying a rather bemused Fidget. "She is. Stop worrying," he shouted up from the hallway.

"I'll stop worrying when tonight's over. Remind me again why you felt it necessary to invite hordes of people over when we've been back less than two days."

"Adam, Wes, Jo, Zaf and Malcolm hardly counts as 'hordes' Ruth. Besides, if I hadn't invited them they'd have used the Grid to find out exactly when we re-entered the country and would have met us of the plane." Making sure Sophia was occupied in the living room he headed up the stairs. He found Ruth in their bedroom (*their* bedroom, the phrase made Harry smile) stood indecisively in front of the open wardrobe, in nothing but her black silk robe.

She senses is presence. "Where's Sophia?"

"In the living room, tormenting Fidget."

"Poor animal. At least Scarlet and Phoenix have the sense to stay out of her way," Ruth commented as she selected and subsequently rejected another outfit.

"You could just wear what you're wearing now," he proposed, leaning on the doorframe.

"You're not helping Harry."

"Sorry," Harry replied, moving into the room and wrapping his arms around her from behind. "But seriously Ruth, you could wear a black bin-liner and you'd still look beautiful."

"When did you become such a charmer?" she asked, causing Harry to chuckle into her neck. He was saved from answering by the sound of the doorbell. "They're early!" Ruth shrieked, pulling away from Harry and dashing around the room. "Well don't just stand there; go and let them in," she instructed.

He did as she asked but stopped at the bedroom door and turned back, "I seem to recall seeing a rather lovely green jumper in your suitcase yesterday; maybe you could wear that," he suggested, before running to open the door, leaving Ruth to ponder just exactly how much attention he'd been paying to her clothing.

* * *

><p>Harry opened the door to find Adam and Wes stood there with, much to his surprise, Ros.<p>

"Hiya Uncle Harry!" Wes greeted.

"Good evening young Wesley," Harry replied ruffling his blonde locks then stepping back so the youngster could enter, before diverting his gaze back to Ros.

"I did tell you I'd be bringing someone, didn't I?" Adam checked

"You did, but I wasn't expecting…although I suppose I should have been…I'm just not sure this is such a good idea."

Ros opened her mouth to speak up but was cut off by Ruth's voice. "It's fine Harry, let them in." She appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing a dark green cashmere sweater, black skirt and knee high boots, looking down on them with interest. As she descended she was spotted by Wes. "Auntie Ruth!" he cried and rushed to meet her at the bottom. She enveloped him in a hug, before doing the same to Adam and then accepting the bottle of wine Ros was holding out to her.

"I'll go and put this in the fridge and get us some drinks. White wine okay?" she asked Harry and Adam who both nodded. "Great. Ros, would you like to give me a hand?"

The blonde looked startled, but followed Ruth anyway. "This wasn't my idea," she explained as Ruth searched Harry's kitchen for wine glasses.

"I'm sure it wasn't," Ruth commented, finally locating the right cupboard. "So you and Adam eh?"

Ros scoffed lightly, "I don't do emotional attachment, and if I did I wouldn't talk about it."

"No. I suppose not," conceded Ruth, handing Ros a glass. "I just want you to know I don't blame you. You were only doing what you thought was right."

"I've already told you I never apologise," Ros stated.

"I'm not looking for one," Ruth assured. Ros may not have said sorry, but Ruth could tell that she regretted her actions. "I want to leave this in the past. Forget it and try to get along."

"Why?"

"Because you work with Harry and a lot of my friends; I don't want to make things awkward for them. I also wanted to say thank you. For helping bring me home." Secrets were not easy to keep on The Grid; Ros had quickly found out about Jo's plan to ensure it was safe for Ruth and Harry to have contact and had helped the rest of the team bring Mace to justice.

"Daughters need their Fathers," Ros stated, giving Ruth a knowing look that caused her to blush slightly. Sophia's paternity wasn't yet common knowledge as far as she was aware; Harry had said that if anyone had worked it out he hadn't heard any murmurings, which meant it was unlikely. Right on cue Sophia appeared in the kitchen doorway, still holding Fidget. "Can I have some juice Mummy?"

"What's the magic word?" Ruth prompted.

"Please."

"Okay then, but put poor Fidget down, you don't need to cuddle him all the time."

"But I love him," Sophia said simply.

"I know, but you can't drink your juice while holding him," Ruth explained. Sophia reluctantly put the cat down and he shot straight out of the kitchen to take refuge upstairs. Ruth handed her a plastic beaker, "Hold it with both hands and take it into the living room, please. Ros and I will be through in a minute."

"She's beautiful," Ros observed once Sophia had left the kitchen. Ruth regarded Ros thoughtfully, was that a wistful look that had appeared in her eyes. Realising she was being watched and possibly giving too much away, Ros put her walls back up. "We forget about the past on one condition," she stipulated.

"Go on."

"This conversation never happened."

"Deal," Ruth nods, handing her another glass of wine to take for Adam, and the two of them return to the living room.

* * *

><p>Sophia's disappointment at the disappearance of Fidget was allayed somewhat ten minutes later, when Jo and Zaf arrived. Excitedly, she ran to her as soon as she heard their voices after Harry had opened the door, and was in her arms before Jo had had chance to remove her coat.<p>

Ruth, who had followed her daughter into the hallway, chastised her lightly, "Sophia! Let Jo take her coat off!"

"It's fine. It's nice to be wanted," she joked, sending a pointed look in Zaf's direction. Ruth chuckled lightly and approached Zaf, who seemed unsure of how to act around Ruth after her being away for so long.

"Have you got something for me?" she enquired. Zaf looked confused, so Ruth elaborated. "Before I left, you promised me that if we ever bumped into each other again, you'd smile at me. Remember?"

Zaf did smile at that, instantly at ease. "Of course I remember. I smile at every pretty woman I see." He embraced his old friend and whispered in her ear, "Although, I'd better not do it too much, Harry might get jealous." Ruth blushed again; she got the feeling it was going to be one of those nights.

The doorbell went again and, realising that it could only be Malcolm, Ruth moved to answer it and Harry ushered Zaf and Jo, who was still carrying Sophia, into the living room. Ruth took a deep breath, steeling herself before opening the door. Of everyone Harry had invited tonight, Malcolm was the one she most wanted to see, and the one she was most nervous of actually seeing. When she finally opened the door, he merely smiled at her.

"Hello Malcolm," she greeted.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again," was his soft reply.

"No," Ruth agreed, stepping forward and pulling him into a hug, which he awkwardly returned. When their embrace finally ended, he stepped inside.

"I am so glad to see you again," he told her as he took off his coat. "You look well."

"Thank you," Ruth replied, reliving him of his coat and hanging it over the banister. She spotted Sophia peering round the living room door, curious as to what the next stranger she would meet would be like. Ruth beckoned her over and she ran to her mother, who picked her up. "Sophia, this is Malcolm. Malcolm this is Sophia," she introduced.

"Hello," Sophia said, smiling at him.

Malcolm smiled back nervously, not being entirely comfortable around children. "Hello Sophia." He turned to Ruth. "Motherhood suits you."

"It's fantastic Malcolm. I never really thought about having children; I'd resigned myself to the fact that I probably never would." She looked at Sophia lovingly, "But now, I wouldn't give it up for anything."

"Well that's good to know," Harry interjected, entering the hallway and standing next to Ruth, slipping an arm round her waist in the process. "Hello Malcolm." He greeted his friend with a firm handshake. "Come on through." Harry gestured for Malcolm to enter the living room and after checking that Ruth was okay with his rather public display of affection (her smile told him she was) he led Ruth in also, arm still securely around her.

Surprisingly, no-one seemed to notice the intimate contact between Harry and Ruth; none of their guest batted an eyelid and the party continued. Sophia charmed everybody with her cute, endearing mannerisms, Harry and Malcolm chatted in the corner of the room, mostly about cricket and Malcolm's new gadgets, and Ruth spent time catching up with her old friends; telling them about her life in Cyprus. It was during one moment with Adam and Zaf, when they were asking about Sophia, that she realised they didn't know that Harry was Sophia's father. She spent the next half hour wondering how to broach the subject of them 'coming clean' to Harry but it seemed fate had other ideas.

Sophia had been sat playing 'I Spy with Zaf," but when Zaf excused himself to go to the bathroom, she slid down of the sofa, approached Harry and whined rather loudly, "Daddy! I'm hungry!"

Adam's was regaling Ruth with a joke about MI6 but he trailed off as Sophia's words permeated through his brain and his mouth dropped open in surprise. Ruth, knowing she was probably as red as a beetroot, looked up, avoiding Adam's gaze, to see Jo biting her lip anxiously; knowing that the boys were still in the dark about this. Jo flashed her friend a smile, hoping to reassure her that it would all be okay.

Harry meanwhile, intrigued by the sudden silence that had fallen over the room, turned around and surveyed the scene before him. The cogs began to turn in his head and he suddenly realised that their 'secret' was out.

This was confirmed by Adam's gasp of, "You and Harry? I knew it! Well, well, well…"

"Daaaaddy!" moaned Sophia once more. She was still hungry and did not like being ignored.

Ruth, conscious of Adam's scrutiny, stood up calmly, took Sophia by the hand and led her to the kitchen to find get her something to eat; leaving Harry to contend with Adam.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"What's happened?" Zaf asked, returning to the stunned silence of the living room. He'd passed Ruth in the hallway looking very flustered.

"What's happened is we've just discovered what a sly old dog Harry really is!" teased Adam.

"Thank you for that observation Adam," Harry replied dryly. "Do you want to be exiled to the far reaches of Africa?"

Wes looked up from his Nintendo DSi at this comment. "Why are you sending Dad to Africa?" he asked, completely oblivious to what had gone on before.

"He's just joking Wes. Aren't you Harry?" Harry didn't reply; but the look he gave Adam held no mirth. "Listen mate," Adam continued to Wes, "Auntie Ruth's gone to get Sophia some food, why don't you go to the kitchen and see if there's any for you."

Not needing to be told twice when there was food involved, Wes stood up and hurried off to find Ruth.

"Harry, I was j-" began Adam.

"Joking. Yes. I'd rather gathered that but I can't say I found the subject matter amusing. You know how Ruth hates being talked about and I will not have her humiliated." Harry's voice was low, but it held a slightly menacing tone; he meant business.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Zaf cut in.

Ros rolled her eyes; the boys on the team could be so dumb at times. "Sophia is Harry's," she stated plainly. Zaf's eyes widened for a moment then a small smile appeared on his face.

"Congratulations," he told Harry before turning to Adam. "I suppose you'll be claiming that fifty quid from me now. When will I learn to never bet with you." Adam ran his hands through his hair in despair at his friend's words.

Harry's eyes flashed with annoyance. "I'm sure you can find a much better use for that fifty pounds, such as a delightful, if not slightly belated, birthday stroke Christmas present for Sophia. You are her two new favourite uncles after all."

Harry strode out of the living room, leaving Adam to remind Zaf of the rules of a 'secret' bet.

* * *

><p>"You okay?" Harry asked, as he approached Ruth in the kitchen. Sophia and Wes were sat at the dining table tucking into some of the buffet Ruth had spent most of the afternoon preparing.<p>

Gazing straight ahead, she gave him her automated response of, "I'm fine," but Harry wasn't fooled.

"Ruth…"

She sighed and looked down at the worktop, realising her façade wouldn't wash with Harry; he'd always been able to see right through her. "I knew it would be difficult but I thought it would be different than before. But I could feel everyone's eyes on me and I could feel myself getting red, and I felt so self-conscious, like they were judging me." She began wringing the napkin she was holding, just like she had in the restaurant on their first date. "Did Adam say anything else after I left?"

Harry almost cringed as he repeated Adam's words; knowing she wouldn't like them but not being able to bring himself to lie to her. "No one was judging you Ruth. I honestly believe there was no malice intended with what was said; it was meant as a joke. Not a particularly funny joke, but a joke nonetheless." Harry paused, wondering whether or not to ask his next question, but in the end found that he couldn't stop himself. He needed to know. "Are you going to run again? From this? From me?"

Ruth looked at him for the first time since he entered the kitchen. "Oh Harry, of course not, she assured taking his hand. "I love you and I'm happy. I've got you and Sophia and we're all finally together. I'm not going to let idle gossip determine our future again. I'm just not used to my private life being put under the microscope but I'll get used to it. Part of me is glad it's all out in the open now, although I'm surprised they hadn't all worked it out."

Harry produced a wry smile, "Well it seems they weren't completely oblivious to the idea; there was a bet going on."

"Not another book?" Harry raised his eyebrows, he didn't know she had known about Zaf's little syndicate. "Oh come on Harry, given our professions it was actually quite disturbing how badly secrets are kept on The Grid."

"You're right there, except this one of course. But no, not another book. A simple bet between Mr Carter and Mr Younis as to whether I was Sophia's father.

"Who bet on you not being?" Ruth enquired, hardly able to believe that either of the would doubt it when faced with the cold, hard question.

"Zaf," Harry replied. Ruth shook her head in disbelief. "I know. I'm starting to wonder about that boy," he continued. "Rest assured though, the money will be going to a good cause, sweetheart, I've seen to that. Adam will not be profiting from this."

"More's the pity," came a grumble from the doorway. Ruth and Harry looked up to find Adam standing there, looking suitably ashamed. "I…I think I owe you an apology."

* * *

><p>When Adam left to grovel to Harry and Ruth, Jo turned on Zaf. She hadn't been privy to the bet and was annoyed by his behaviour. "What on earth possessed you to bet on who Sophia's father was?" she hissed.<p>

"Uh-oh. Lovers tiff," muttered Ros as she sat down to enjoy the show.

"I…" Zaf started.

"And then to talk about it in front of Harry! Have you even got a brain in that head of yours?"

"You see, this is why I didn't tell you; I knew you'd go off on one. You've been really touchy about Ruth's privacy since you found her. You didn't even tell us she had a daughter." If any of them asked Jo about Ruth they were stonewalled; all they got was 'it's not my place to say' or 'it's nobody's business' and if they continued to push her she'd snap at them.

"Maybe that's cos I felt guilty! For the part I played in wrecking things for them before. If I'd kept my big mouth shut then she might never have been at the tube station that morning and things would have been different." Jo slumped down onto the sofa .

"We can't blame ourselves," interjected Malcolm. "We had no way of foreseeing what happened."

"Malcolm's right." Zaf continued, sitting down next to her and putting a comforting arm round her.

"I'm sorry if I've been a bitch when you've asked about Ruth."

"And, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the bet with Adam."

"So you should be. I'd have been able to save you fifty quid if you had," she replied, her tone lighter.

"Hang on? You knew?"

This caused another eye roll from Ros. "Yes she knew. As did I. It just seems to be you and Adam that were in the dark. I'd say it was women's intuition save for two reasons. One, I don't believe in such a thing and two, I suspect, Malcolm knew as well." Malcolm nodded to the affirmative.

"Why did no-one tell us?"

"It wasn't our place," Jo replied, eliciting a smirk from Zaf. "Besides, the maths wasn't that hard. Ruth left in March, Sophia was born in October. Doesn't take a genius," she pointed out, causing Malcolm, and even Ros, to have to suppress a laugh.

* * *

><p>Adam stood awkwardly in the kitchen doorway looking from Harry and Ruth to Sophia and Wes. Realising he didn't want to have this conversation around younger ears, Harry whisked them out of the room with their plates, muttering about how it wasn't him that Adam needed to apologise to. Being evicted again caused many protestations from Wes about how he was trying to eat his dinner. Left alone, Adam approached Ruth, who had busied herself rearranging some of the buffet that was set out on the counter.<p>

"I am sorry y'know?"

"What exactly are you sorry for?" she asked.

"The bet and my reaction when I found out. It was insensitive."

"And what about calling Harry a 'sly old dog'?"

Adam blushed, "Ah. He told you about that. That too was insensitive." Ruth said nothing, instead continuing to fiddle with the plates. "Look Ruth, I really am sorry. We shouldn't be so interested in your relationship with Harry, but we can't help it. You're our friends and we want you both to be happy. We just have a funny way of showing it, that's all." Ruth stopped moving plates. Taking this as a lightening in her mood, Adam pushed her a little. "Most people flattered to be on our elite list of talking points."

"Well I hate to disappoint, but I'm not big on being the centre of attention," she retorted, a teasing lilt to her voice.

"Guess we'll have to find something else to talk about; possibly the budding romance between Jo and Zaf?"

"I'm saying nothing," she insisted, but gave him a knowing smile.

Returning her smile with one equally as conspiratorial he merely said, "Thought as much," before leaving to re-join the others.

* * *

><p>Not being able to return to the living room as it sounded like Zaf was getting a right earful from Jo, Harry sat on the stairs with Wes and Sophia.<p>

"Why are we out here?" the little girl asked?

"Cos Mummy's having a private talk with Adam."

"Why can't we go in the living room?" Harry rolled his eyes slightly, Sophia was at the age when everything was a question and no answer was sufficient.

"Cos Uncle Zaf and Auntie Jo are fighting," Wes chimed in. Sophia looked positively horrified by the thought.

Harry shot a withering look at Wes. "Don't talk with your mouth full, Wes," he chastised gently. Before turning his attention to his distressed daughter. "Don't worry darling," Harry soothed, "they're just having a difference of opinion; they're not really falling out."

"Oh, okay," she replied turning back to her food, seemingly satisfied with her father's assurances.

Harry playfully whipped a chipolata sausage from Wes' plate and the youngster was about to protest when the doorbell rang much to Harry's relief, and confusion; they weren't expecting anyone else. He stood up, his legs protesting that he really was getting too old to sit on staircases, and moved to the door. Sophia was right behind him; curiosity getting the better of her once again. Harry turned the handle, his eyes widening when he saw who was standing on the doorstep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Ducks flying objects once again! Sorry, but if I didn't cut it this chapter would have gone on forever, and here seemed like as good a place as any.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N1: **Some interesting suggestions for who you thought it could be at the door (Tom, Juliet etc.) but the majority of you were right. Sorry this has taken so long; I've had so much on this past week it's been unreal! But it's here now; hope you like it.

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><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

**Previously...**

_...the doorbell rang much to Harry's relief, and confusion; they weren't expecting anyone else. He stood up, his legs protesting that he really was getting too old to sit on staircases, and moved to the door. Sophia was right behind him; curiosity getting the better of her once again. Harry turned the handle eyes widening when he saw who was standing on the doorstep._

Harry stared at the young blonde girl framed in the doorway. "Catherine?"

"Hi Dad."

Harry inched forward and he and Catherine embraced. "I didn't think you were coming. You didn't reply to my message, so I assumed you already had plans."

"Yeh, sorry about that. I've been away for a few days with friends. No signal. Only got your message when I got back this evening. It is okay that I came though?"

"Of course it is. Come on in. As he stepped aside to let his eldest daughter in, he felt a tightening around the bottom of his leg; he looked back briefly to see Sophia clinging to him.

"So how did it go in Cyprus?" Catherine asked removing her coat. "You were very vague in your message."

"Well,-"

"Harry, I'm going to tell everyone to help themselves to food now," Ruth called, following Adam out of the kitchen. "Seems pointless to wait now that Wes and Sophia have alread- oh!" She halted as she spotted Catherine stood in the hallway. She'd never met her personally but she recognised her from the case she had been involved in. Her hair was different; slightly longer but Ruth knew it was her.

Seemingly Catherine recognised Ruth as well. Turning to her father, she commented with a smile, "I guess that answers my question then. Things obviously went very well."

Harry cleared his throat nervously and began the introductions. "Ruth, this is my daughter Catherine. Catherine this is Ruth, my…" he faltered at that; not quite knowing how to refer to her.

"Girlfriend?" suggested Adam impishly, raising a smile from Catherine.

"Yes, thank you Adam," growled Harry, feeling a little flustered with the situation. "That threat about Africa still stands you know." He hadn't intended for Ruth and Catherine to meet like this; in the midst of a house full of people. When he'd left the message on her voicemail inviting her this evening, his plan had been that when she rang to accept he would explain what had happened in Cyprus and suggest she arrive earlier than the others to meet Ruth and Sophia properly.

Adam took the hint that his presence was not required. "Come on Wes," he beckoned and escorted his son back to the living room.

"Sorry about that," Harry said. "It wasn't quite supposed to be like this."

"It's okay," Catherine replied. "I probably should have rung before just turning up like this."

"Nonsense," declared Harry. "You're always welcome here. You know that."

A slight movement in the corner in her peripheral vision caught Catherine's eye and looking down she saw Sophia peeping out from behind their father's legs. Giving her a small smile, she leant down to introduce herself to her younger sibling. "Hello. You must be Sophia." Sophia ducked back round the back of her Dad; she'd met lots of new people already and was becoming a little overwhelmed. Harry was about to intervene but a glance at Ruth, who was shaking her head, stopped him. "You look very pretty. I knew that dress would look lovely; that's why I chose it."

Shyly, Sophia peered round Harry and looked at Catherine.

"Do you know who I am? My name's Catherine."

"You're my sister," Sophia supposed quietly, looking at her Mum for re-assurance.

Ruth nodded. "What did we decide you had to say to Catherine when you saw her?"

"Thank you for my dress," she uttered, more confidently.

"You are very welcome."

"Sophia, why don't you take Catherine into the kitchen and show her where all the food and drinks are?" suggested Harry, wanting a moment alone with Ruth.

"Oh please!" cried Catherine exuberantly for Sophia's benefit; settling into the role of 'big sister' with ease. "I'm really hungry and I might need your help."

Eager to do anything that she thought made her more grown up, Sophia jumped at the chance. She interlaced her fingers with Catherine's and led her off towards the kitchen, listing all the food that was available.

"Well, that went well," Harry observed, relieved. "Even if Sophia seemed wary."

"It has been a busy day for her," Ruth reminded him. "Coming at the end of a momentous week. She might be a little over-sensitive for a few days until things settle down."

"I didn't know Catherine was coming. I mean I did invite her and I was going to tell you but then sh-"

"Harry, are you under the impression that I'm mad at you?"

"Well…"

"Harry, Catherine is your daughter; I'm not going to start dictating when she can and can't visit. Like you told her; she's always welcome."

Harry approached Ruth and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Ruth craned her neck upwards to meet his lips with her own. "Now, I'd better let everyone know they can have food or there might be a riot."

Harry chuckled but let Ruth go, following closely behind her.

* * *

><p>Sometime later, Ruth found Catherine stood in the doorway to the living room, watching something intently with a strange look on her face; it was almost wistful. Upon closer inspection she saw that she was watching Harry and Sophia who, thanks to the afternoon nap Ruth had make her take, was still going strong despite the late hour. The youngster was sat on Harry's knee while she regaled him, Zaf and Jo with some wonderful tale. Ruth then realised how hard this could be for Catherine; she didn't have a good relationship with her father and now she had to watch him forming a bond with another child.<p>

Sensing she was being watched, Catherine turned to face Ruth. "Er…hi," she offered.

"Hi," Ruth replied. "Your Dad is glad you could come tonight; we both are."

"So am I. I've wanted to meet Sophia ever since Dad told me about her. He did mention me coming to Cyprus but I was already going to Mum's and I thought it would probably better if he went alone." She looked back to where Harry and Sophia were sat. "He's good with her," she commented pensively.

Ruth nodded, deciding to address the elephant in the room. "Catherine, I know you don't know me so feel free to tell me to bugger off and mind my own business but are you okay? This can't be easy for you. I mean I don't know all the details but I do know your relationship with your father has been…" Ruth searched for the word. "…strained."

"I'm okay, honestly. Watching them brings back some long buried memories, that's all. And those memories are telling me I've been rather stupid." Ruth looked at her quizzically. "When he was around, it was brilliant; we had so much fun. He wasn't a bad father; he was just an absent one. But I let my resentment cloud my feelings and bury those happy memories."

"It's not too late to make new memories," Ruth prompted, gesturing towards Harry and Sophia. "Why don't you join them? See what fantastic story Sophia's managed to concoct this time. She has quite the imagination."

Catherine looked over at her father and sister, then back to Ruth. "You know what? I think I will. Thanks Ruth."

Ruth protested. "I've not done anything."

"You've given him a second chance. You've made him happy. Thank you." Catherine walked away leaving Ruth to reflect on her words, although she wasn't given much time to.

"She's right you know," Malcolm said, coming to stand next to Ruth. "I haven't seen him this happy in a long time. The last time was probably about four years ago; he'd just taken this marvellous woman out to dinner.

"Malcolm-"

"It's true Ruth. All the time you've been away, it's like he's been existing rather than living. You, and Sophia, have reignited that spark of life. Since he's been back in contact with you he's been different; more relaxed. He loves you."

"I know Malcolm; and I love him. You don't have to do this; I don't need convincing to be with him. I already am, and I'm planning on staying."

"That's good to know. I just want you both to be happy; God knows you deserve it enough."

"Adam said the same thing to me earlier, and Jo's implied it on several occasions. You can all rest assured, we are happy."

* * *

><p>It was close to midnight and everyone was gathered in the living room for the countdown. Everyone except Harry and Adam. Ruth had watched them disappear off together about three quarters of an hour previously; they looked as if they were plotting something, but she had been engaged in trying to persuade Sophia, yet again, to leave Fidget alone, so hadn't paid much attention. She'd looked for them as she was rounding everyone else up, but hadn't found them and Sophia and Wes kept asking where they were; worried that they would miss the big moment.<p>

"I found them," declared Catherine, dragging Harry in, Adam following behind. "They were out in the garden."

"Daddy!" Sophia called excitedly. When he reached them she held out her arms and Harry lifted her and positioned her on his hip.

"What on earth where you doing out there?" Ruth questioned.

"All in good time sweetheart," he teased.

"Sophia was worried about you."

"I was only outside."

"She didn't know where you were and thought you were going to miss the countdown," Ruth explained.

Harry looked Sophia in the eye, "There is no chance I'd miss ringing in the New Year with my three favourite girls." Ruth and Catherine shared a look; neither were too keen on being referred to as 'girls'. This made Harry chuckle. As everyone began to countdown Harry placed his arm around Ruth's shoulders, pulling her close.

"10, 9, 8..." Ruth glanced round the room and smiled as she watched Zaf wrap his arms round Jo's stomach and pull her back to rest on him before placing a chaste kiss to her cheek.

"...7, 6, 5..." Sophia's voice was loud in Ruth's ear as she joined in the countdown, but Ruth didn't care. As long as Sophia was happy, then everything was fine. She was glad that she seemed to be coping with the shifts and changes that had occurred over the past week and looked forward to what 2010 would bring for her daughter, now that she had her father in her life.

"...4, 3, 2..." Harry whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. What she wished for most the new year was that her relationship with Harry would continue to go from strength to strength. She turned to him and saw his eyes sparkle with happiness; glad to be spending his New Year's Eve with the people closest to him.

"...1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!" chorused the whole living room. Harry lifted Ruth's chin so that her face was angled towards his, before leaning down to kiss her. His mouth was warm and soft against hers and, although the kiss didn't last long, they both thought it to be the perfect start to the New Year.

"Happy New Year Ruth," Harry whispered, before handing a squirming Sophia over to Catherine.

"Happy New Year Harry."

"Let's hope this year is better than the last," Harry said.

"Oh, I don't know. This year definitely had its good points," countered Ruth. Harry caught her meaning and smiled. She was right; after all, they had been reunited and he'd discovered they had Sophia.

"Ruth!" called a slightly drunken Jo, unknowingly interrupting Harry and Ruth's moment. "Happy New Year!" Jo's well wishes seemed to open the floodgates because suddenly, they were surrounded by a whole group of people wishing them all the best for 2010. Once everyone had swapped best wishes, Adam ordered everyone out to the garden.

"But it's freezing," moaned Jo, as Zaf helped her on with her coat.

"Is this the surprise you were telling me about Dad?" quizzed Wes.

"Might be," shrugged Adam. "The quicker you get outside, the quicker you'll find out."

Everyone filed out, led by Adam and huddled on the small patio as instructed.

"What's happening Daddy?" asked Sophia from her place in Catherine's arms.

"We're going to have…" he paused for dramatic effect, "…fireworks!" His declaration heralded a small cheer from the group and Harry turned to Adam. "Whenever you're ready Mr Carter," he instructed. Adam lit the blue touch paper of the first firework, and then jogged back to stand with Ros and Wes.

Harry and Adam had done a sterling job setting the fireworks up (Ruth would later discover they'd taken advice from someone on the team responsible for the New Year display on the Thames.) From the moment the first rocket went up they were treated to a magical spectacle of colour and light. They went off one after the other; rockets, mines, fountains, bangers. No action from Adam was necessary and the sky was filled with every colour and hue imaginable. Everyone was transfixed by the show, especially Wes and Sophia, whose mouths hung wide open. The first whoosh and bang had startled Sophia and she'd tensed in Catherine's arms, but once she'd seen the explosion of colour it created she'd cried, "Mummy look!" and then settled down and watched with everyone else, letting out the occasional, "wow!"

"Where on earth did you find the time to organise this?" Ruth asked, leaning back against him, his arms around her stomach.

"Oh I had a spare 10 minutes this afternoon," he joked. She laughed as several rockets exploded overhead, bathing them in serene light. "Adam helped," he admitted, "and we Spooks can be rather resourceful when we want to be."

"Harry, this is wonderful."

"I just wanted it to be special; our first new year together; as a family."

"It would have been special anyway," Ruth told him. "For that exact reason."

"Yes but-"

"I know," Ruth assured him. "But you want to be careful. You might set a precedent; we'll be expecting this every year," she teased.

Harry chuckled, kissing her neck. "I do love you Ruth."

Ruth smiled, nuzzling against him. "I know. I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>AN2:** Only the epilogue to go now! Shall try and get it up as soon as possible.


	18. Epilogue

**A/N: **So, here we are. The final instalment of this fic; the epilogue (which is probably technically too long to be an epilogue, given that it's longer than **_any_** of the other chapters. But I figured you wouldn't mind about that!) It is a shame for me to have to end it, but unfortunately with my course the way it is at the moment, I have too much on and I do think this has come to its natural conclusion. Although I may write a sequel one day…never say never and all that jazz.

I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for giving this story a chance and sticking with it all this time. Even when I left you with cliff-hangers for ages! I have loved every second of writing this and I never dreamed it would be eighteen chapters in length when the idea first struck me. Thank you for your reviews also. I'm not that far off 200 for this fic, so if you could leave one final review and help me achieve that milestone that would be wonderful.

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><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

_8 months later… _

"Mummy!"

Ruth woke suddenly and was immediately on alert; her daughter was crying. She slipped out of bed, and padded barefoot down the hallway. Harry was oblivious to her departure, sleeping on. She was sure he would have made a habit of it, but Sophia was not normally one to wake up during the night, hence Ruth's worry.

When she reached Sophia's room, Ruth knew what was wrong without even seeing her daughter; the stench of vomit was overwhelming. Sophia had been subdued all evening but both Harry and Ruth had put it down to her being tired after an over exuberant weekend spent with Catherine. When Catherine was in the country she always made arrangements to have Sophia for a day or an evening; to spend some quality time with her; it also allowed Harry and Ruth to have some time alone too. Catherine and Graham, whose relationship with his father had improved dramatically since Sophia's arrival, had taken their younger sister to the Zoo on Saturday and then she had stayed over at Catherine's house that night, meaning Harry could take Ruth out on a long-overdue second date. He'd booked a table at Claridge's and they'd had a wonderful evening.

The tranquillity of that night was long gone now. It seemed, however, that Sophia's tiredness had been more than that; she had obviously caught the bug that had been going around her school nursery. Harry hadn't seen the need in her going to nursery at first, as Ruth wasn't working (she had decided not to return to the Grid, as she didn't feel it was conducive to bringing up a young child) but Ruth had insisted. She wanted Sophia to socialise with other children and felt that nursery provision would better prepare her for the rigours of more formal education. So they'd enrolled her at a private school about 20 minutes from their house, and she attended 4 mornings and 1 full day on a Friday. She loved it and was coming on in leaps and bounds. The prevalence for illness was the only downside; in her first three months there, Sophia had had a runny nose constantly.

Entering the room, Ruth began to sooth her daughter. "It's okay sweetheart, Mummy's here."

"Been sick, Mummy," Sophia sniffed.

"I know darling." She pushed her daughter's hair out of her face and laid her palm against her forehead. "You're a bit warm aren't you? Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She picked up her daughter and carried her through to the bathroom. She set her down on the toilet seat and began running a bath, before instructing Sophia to stay put and returning to the bedroom for some towels and clean bedding.

Her movements disturbed Harry. "What time is it?" he asked sleepily.

Ruth glanced at the clock. "Nearly half three."

"What are you doing?" he continued, propping himself up into a seated position.

"Sophia's been sick. She must have caught that bug from nursery." Ruth replied, her head halfway in the wardrobe, searching for a pillowcase. Finding it at the bottom of a pile she tugged roughly and, much to her dismay, the whole pile of bedding fell out, spilling all over the floor. "Oh….thing!" she cursed, bending down to pick them up.

Harry was at her side instantly. "Let me," he insisted," divesting her of the bedding she had collected. You go and deal with Sophia and I'll change her bed. Go on."

Giving him a quick peck on the cheek, she stood and went back to her daughter. Once she was washed and in clean pyjamas, Ruth took her back and lay her down on the nice crisp sheets Harry had put on her bed. She lay down with her daughter and stroked her hair soothingly.

A few moments later, Harry came in with some Calpol and Ruth sat her up slightly so she could take her medicine. "That should make you feel better soon," Harry told his daughter, who nodded mutely and cuddled into her Mum.

"You get back to bed Harry. You've got a 7.30 meeting with the Home Secretary."

"It's fine. I'll wait for you."

"I think I'll sleep in here tonight; just in-case."

"Don't be ridiculous Ruth; that bed's hardly big enough for you on your own, never mind sharing it with a three year old who can't stay still for more than five minutes, even in sleep."

"Don't go, Mummy!" Sophia pleaded. Ruth looked at Harry helplessly; she couldn't leave her daughter in this state; even to go to the next room.

Harry bent down near the bed. "Sophia, there's not really a lot of room in your bed for you and Mummy; aren't you going to get a bit squashed? Why don't you and Mummy come into our room? There's plenty of space in our bed.

Sophia perked up a little. "Can I?" She wasn't normally allowed in their bed at night; Ruth was adamant that she'd get too used to it and they'd never get her back in her own room.

"Just while you're not well. Little girls can have some extra treats while they're poorly."

Sophia nodded and held out her arms for Harry to pick her up. He lay her down in the middle of their king size bed and got in beside her. Ruth switched off the light and got in on the other side before resuming her calming caresses on her daughter's head. It didn't take long for Sophia to close her eyes and drop off.

"Better ring Catherine and Graham in the morning and warn them," Harry whispered once he was sure Sophia was asleep. "If Sophia has caught this from nursery, she'll most likely have passed it on to them over the weekend."

"It'll be you and I next," Ruth commented with a groan.

"The perils of having a young child. Come on, let's try and get some sleep; I've got an early morning remember." Not being able to reach across and kiss her because of Sophia's presence, Harry took Ruth's hand and brought it to his mouth. "Goodnight love."

"Good night Harry."

* * *

><p>When Harry's alarm went off just over an hour and a half later, he found he and Sophia alone in bed. He considered where Ruth could be for a few moments, before the faint sound of retching reached his ears. Glancing at Sophia and finding her still asleep, he pushed back the covers and made his way to the bathroom. He knocked lightly on the door. "Ruth?"<p>

"S'open," she croaked back.

Harry opened the door to find Ruth crouched on the floor, head over the toilet. "Already?" he asked, surprised by the quick onset of the bug. Ruth merely nodded as another wave of nausea overcame her. "Oh, love," Harry sighed, gathering her hair back from her face and holding it until she was finished.

A short while later and Ruth was back in bed, watching Harry dress for work. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay at home today?" he checked, as he fastened his tie.

"You have a meeting," Ruth reminded him.

"I can send Ros; I'm sure the Home Secretary will understand. And if he doesn't, well he can just bugger off."

Ruth shook her head, "No. You go. We'll be fine. We'll spend the day in bed, reading and watching DVDs." Harry threw her a sceptical look. "Honestly, we'll be okay."

"You'll call if you need anything?"

"I will," she assured. Harry leant in to kiss her but she pulled away, "You'll catch it," she reasoned.

"Chances are I already have," he argued, pressing her back into the pillows and placing his lips on hers. "I'll see you later."

"Bye!" she called after him. "Have a good day."

* * *

><p>Ruth and Sophia did indeed remain in bed for the whole day and by tea time, Sophia had perked up but Ruth still felt rotten.<p>

Hearing a key in the lock, Sophia ran downstairs. "Daddy!" she called excitedly.

"Umph!" exhaled Harry as Sophia launched herself at him for a hug. "You're obviously feeling better," he observed.

Sophia nodded. "I've been looking after Mummy," she declared.

"Good girl," he praised, carrying her up the stairs so he could check on Ruth. He found her sat in bed, the television showing the news but she wasn't concentrating on it; she could barely keep her eyes open.

"You're home early," Ruth observed as he entered the bedroom, set Sophia down and removed his jacket and tie.

"You're not well," he stated as if his reason for being home should be obvious. "Not feeling any better then?"

"I thought I was around lunchtime, but I made the mistake of eating something." Harry nodded. "Sophia's better though; managed to keep down some soup."

"Good. I'll make us some tea; do you want to try some?" Ruth shook her head. "You've got to eat something Ruth," Harry fussed.

"Okay," sighed Ruth. "Just some dry toast; I don't want to aggravate my stomach."

"Dry toast it is then. Come on Sophia, you can help me make tea; let your Mum rest a bit."

It wasn't long before Ruth's eyes slipped closed and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

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><p>Harry cursed silently as he looked at his watch as his car pulled up outside the house; it was after ten. Now that he had a family to return home to at night, he didn't like to stay late on the Grid, but today he hadn't had a choice. A renegade Islam extremist had attempted to set off a bomb on Oxford Street, so his presence had been required just a little longer. Normally, although he didn't relish late shifts, he wouldn't be particularly annoyed by them, but today was different. It had been three days since Sophia and Ruth had become ill and, while Sophia had made a seemingly full recovery, Ruth was still not well. The bug had knocked her for six; she was extremely tired and although she wouldn't admit it, he knew she was still feeling nauseous. He'd wanted to get home early and help her put Sophia to bed, but alas, duty had called.<p>

Thanking his driver, Harry walked up the path and entered the house quietly. He hung up his coat before putting the catch on the door and securing it for the night. He climbed the stairs quietly, not wanting to disturb the possible sleeping occupants of the house. He saw Sophia's door ajar and the glow from her nightlight was emanating though the gap. He peeked into her room; she was lying spread-eagled on the bed, out for the count. A contented smile graced his lips as he indulged in watching his daughter sleep for a few moments. When she shifted in her sleep, Harry took this as his cue to leave; if she woke up and found him watching her, she'd never go back to sleep.

Entering the master bedroom, he was surprised to find Ruth propped up against the pillows reading. She smiled as he entered.

"I thought you'd be asleep," he said, approaching the bed. He kissed her on the cheek before sitting down on the edge of the bed and removing his shoes.

"I wanted to wait up for you."

"I'm sorry I'm so late," he apologised.

"Don't be silly. These things happen."

"But you've been on your own with Sophia all day." Ruth didn't see the need to remind Harry that she'd been on her own with Sophia for three years and had looked after her whilst ill. She knew he felt guilty for not being here; there was no need to possibly make the situation worse.

"She was as good as gold. I've had my own personal nursemaid since I picked her up from nursery. I'm surprised she didn't insist on driving me home!"

Harry chuckled; Sophia could be a little domineering at times. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she admitted. "I think getting some fresh air this afternoon did me good."

Harry smiled; glad she seemed to be on the mend. "Won't be a second; just going to use the bathroom."

Ruth put her book down on the nightstand and awaited his return.

"I've been thinking," he announced, as he re-entered the room five minutes later, stripped down to his boxers and ready for bed.

"Oh?" asked Ruth curiously.

He got into bed. "I think I should retire from the service."

"Harry-"

"No Ruth, hear me out. I hate coming home late like this. Some days I leave so early and get home so late that I don't see Sophia at all! I'm due a good pension Ruth, and the mortgage is paid up on the house. We won't go hungry."

"Even with an extra mouth to feed?"

"Wh…?" Words failed him so he looked at Ruth for further clarification.

"I'm pregnant Harry."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be. I had my suspicions that my sickness was more than just a bug when Sophia recovered so quickly and I didn't. I hadn't had nausea like that since I was pregnant before, so when I went to pick her up from nursery I called at the chemist and picked up a home test, just in case. I never expected it to be positive."

"But it was."

"Yes."

"We're having another baby?"

"Yes." Ruth replied, beginning to worry about Harry's reaction. She'd been nervous about telling him and so far he hadn't expressed any emotion about it whatsoever. She didn't have to worry for long though.

"Ruth…I…that's brilliant."

"It is?" she asked, surprised.

"You don't think so?"

"No, I do, I do. I just wasn't sure what you would think."

"I think it's wonderful darling," he assured, reaching over and pulling her in to him for a kiss.

"Might mean putting off the retirement for a couple of years," she mused, when he released her.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I've some money tied up in my parent's old house. I'll need to sit down with the figures, but I'm sure it's doable.

"You're really serious about this aren't you?" she asked, trying to visualise Harry without the service to anchor him.

"Yes. I am. There's something else I'm really serious about too."

"Oh yes? What's that then?"

"I love you Ruth Evershed."

Ruth smiled, her eyes lighting up. "And I love you Harry Pearce."

"Hmmm, that reminds me; we really need to do something about that," Harry mused.

"About what?" Ruth asked confused by his statement.

"Your name."

"My name?" she questioned, still unsure where he was going with this.

"Well, I rather liked it when your surname was Pearce, didn't you? And, I think it's even more pressing now. Lady Pearce certainly rolls off the tongue quite nicely don't you think?" he said, placing a hand on her stomach.

"Well I sup…" Ruth trailed off as the implication of Harry's words sank in. "Harry, what are you saying?"

Harry looked deep into her eyes. "Marry me, Ruth."

"I-"

"Before you say anything; this is not a knee-jerk reaction to finding out about the baby." He extracted himself from her and opened the drawer in the bedside cabinet. Pulling out a blue velvet box, he continued, "I've had this for about two months; I've been waiting for the right moment. And this seems like it."

Ruth gasped as he lifted the lid to reveal an elegant white gold ring; a diamond in the middle, flanked by two small sapphires on either side. "Harry, it's beautiful."

"Marry me Ruth," he repeated.

Ruth lifted her eyes away from the ring and met his loving gaze. "Yes," she whispered. She allowed him to slide the ring onto her finger before pulling him on top of her a letting him kiss her senseless.

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><p><strong>AN2:** Thank you and goodnight.


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